Five years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing shouldn't come as a shock -- the fear and uncertainty surrounding the virus still exists in our psyches.

"I certainly think it cranked everybody's anxiety up," said Dr. Joel Shuy, a clinical psychologist with Atlantic Psychiatric Center.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that in 2020-2021, there was a 25% increase in depression and anxiety across the globe. By 2022, that had decreased but global studies still showed these figures were higher than pre-pandemic, the Mayo Clinic reported last year.

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But let's not just dive into COVID numbers. What about people's experience living through the pandemic? We asked Shuy to share his thoughts on mental health post-pandemic. He pointed to anxiety, which he linked to people's "what-ifs."

"That was the time period where we couldn't be sure what was going to happen to us -- or anyone we care about," Shuy said of the pandemic. "So, concerns about the what-ifs, and the changing and inconsistent messages from various people in authority, didn't do much to make it seem like anyone had it under control."

Shuy noted that those already struggling with pre-existing anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) seemed to take COVID-19 particularly hard. Lack of control -- or a fear of losing it -- is prominent in these conditions already. It's also apart from any cognitive or emotional impact from COVID-19, as well as the body's inflammatory response.

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Then there were people who already felt lonely. COVID exacerbated the situation. Not to mention that post-pandemic, some Brevard residents are still not ready to return to their pre-COVID lifestyle and activities.

"People got used to watching church services online or support groups like 12-step meetings online," said Shuy, 62. "While better than nothing, face-to-face contact and fellowship were absent or diminished, particularly for older folks like me who do not typically form or foster friendships online."

While being digital savvy can pose a challenge for some, the Pew Research Center shows some Baby Boomers and even the Silent Generation are embracing technology.

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"Folks like me...have since been nudged in the direction of doing more online psychotherapy. It's not something I was trained in doing. I would imagine there are plenty of people who were essentially pushed into dealing with technology in ways that they had not imagined before COVID.

"I personally find chatting with a bot to be irritating and frustrating more often than not," Shuy noted. "That's not helping anybody with their stress level."

This reporting is supported by a Journalism Funding Partners grant.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: COVID messed with the minds of many, including those with OCD, anxiety