CHICAGO, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Research of the University of Illinois (UI) suggests the negative mental health effects of pandemic lockdowns are temporary and gradually decrease over time as people adjust to their "new normal."
The researchers measured mental health trends from January 2020 through the end of June by analyzing daily, state-located search data via Google Trends. They first used a set of terms related to mitigation policies, and then obtained data on searches about mental health. The search data set also included terms for in-home activities.