As I discussed last week, from the outset of this pandemic, with each day filled with isolation and uncertainty, mental health issues have continued to worsen in this country. According to a Pew Research Center report, such uncertainty has accounted for one-third of Americans experiencing high levels of psychological distress during the COVID-19 outbreak.

In a more recent accounting, according to a Boston University School of Public Health study, the prevalence of sleep troubles, lethargy, feelings of hopelessness and other depression symptoms in adults across the country have more than tripled since the pandemic began. That means, as noted by Time magazine, that “three times as many Americans met criteria for a depression diagnosis during the pandemic than before it.”