Some researchers from Central Michigan University, Loyola University and Tulane University did a research on the people's Google search on terms related do mental health. The researcher used Google Trends to analyse this. Based on the result, they found out that "after the WHO declared a global pandemic has taken place, there was a major jump in searches on anxiety and panic attacks and the treatments, especially for remote and self-care techniques." "Our analyses from shortly after the declaration are the tip of the iceberg," remarked the lead study author Michael Hoerger, an assistant professor of Psychology in the Tulane School of Science and Engineering.

What is interesting is that these researchers did not find any major increase on searches using the term related to depression, loneliness, abuse and suicide. However, this is only the beginning, as we do not know what might happen in the days ahead. This very phenomenon is considered as a positive impact due to the work from home, since people are temporarily not dealing with difficult coworkers and bosses directly face to face.

"Continue to monitor Google Trends may reveal changes in other mental health symptoms over the longer term that we could not detect yet," they wrote. "The findings and continued inspection on the Google search can actually guide public mental health initiatives across multiple ecological levels that can alleviate the psychological toll of COVID-19."

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/coronavirus-spike-google-search-mental-health