The blockade had an unexpected effect on our mood that scientists hadn’t seen

But digging deeper into the data they found some interesting results.

“[We] identified four mood profiles that we haven’t seen in the population before, we had never seen them, ”said Dr. Parsons-Smith.

“The nation’s mood was an overall negative mood profile that has in the past been associated with people at risk for potential mental health problems.”

Dr Parsons-Smith said the change in national mood is likely due to the combination of sudden and prolonged social isolation, coupled with reduced levels of physical activity that were the natural result of the blockages.

“Certainly the general population was not feeling their best – their responses overall were among the most negative mood profiles we’ve encountered,” he said.

“This was unusual because we had never seen the general population turn negative overall before.

“We’ve certainly seen divisions in terms of things like sex, women are more likely to experience negative moods than men, but we haven’t seen the [population] it means in line with one of those moods. “

The researchers found differences in how some demographics handled endemic versus others, particularly on the male-female divide.

Women appeared to be more affected by the pandemic than men, which according to Dr. Parsons-Smith was probably due to the greater likelihood that women were called to spend more “emotional work” during times of crisis.

“Emotional work involves setting aside your own emotional needs in order to provide, comfort and encourage those around you,” she said.

“In the context of the COVID-19 restrictions, demands for home schooling and caring for a family in isolation have likely left many women exhausted.”

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Younger people were also hit harder in terms of mood than older cohorts, the research found.

This was attributed to the fact that that group were more likely to have lost their jobs during the pandemic, as well as being influenced by more negative information than older people, particularly those over the age of 55.

Dr Parsons-Smith said the results showed that people needed to be aware of how major negative events like pandemic blockages can affect their mental well-being and be proactive in seeking help if they need it.

“While there is no doubt that there are hundreds of mood-regulating strategies, some examples that may be particularly relevant right now include a focus on staying in touch with family and friends – talk to someone about how you feel. listen, “he said.

“Another important mood regulation strategy is of course exercise. Exercise not only has implications for good physical health, it also has the potential to support psychological health.”

Anyone seeking more formal support and assistance with mood or mental issues can contact organizations such as Lifeline (13 11 14), BeyondBlue (1300 224 636) and the Black Dog Institute.

The research was published in the journal Frontiers in psychology.