When 2020 started, few would have imagined a world completely upended by a virus. With over a million deaths and major economies brought to a screeching halt, COVID-19 is effectively impacting how we fundamentally live. 

Therefore, it is not surprising that recent surveys show that more people now live with anxiety and worry about their future. In Korea, some 40% of residents have reported mental health deterioration due to COVID-19. Not only are people worried about mortality, many are facing economic hardship and emotional and mental stress from losing their jobs amid the pandemic. 

Being social creatures, humans have a need to connect with one another. In these trying and uncertain times, it is all the more crucial to reach out and seek support from others when in need. In response, governments such as those in Australia and Singapore have set up centres and resource portals to better provide care for the community.

There are also active steps individuals can take to protect our mental health from the harmful effects of chronic stress. While the pandemic is lashing out its test of human resilience, it is perhaps also one of the best times to reframe and relearn how we cope with stress to emerge stronger from this.