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We have all experienced moments of stress in our lives. They could be driven by project deadlines, looming exams or even happy moments, like a wedding or the birth of a child. In these cases, we often resort to “self-care activities” to help us manage through. Crises such as the current coronavirus pandemic are a different beast. When facing a crisis, it is normal to feel anxiety, stress, confusion, anger and even fear. When the days stretch into weeks and months, these emotions and pressures can take a severe toll on our mental health and overall stability. For example, a new study out of Maynooth University has found that mental health problems increased by 13.5% in UK adults during the lockdown earlier this year. This increase was seen across every sociodemographic they studied (interviewing over 14,000 people), providing strong evidence that the coronavirus pandemic is having a pronounced and prolonged impact on our mental health. For those of us working in the mental health field, these results are no surprise. We are living in an extraordinary time, with little opportunity to take a break from the constant pressure and stress. Worse yet, many of our self-care options have been taken away, such as seeing family and friends, having alone time or travelling. As we stare down the prospect of further lockdowns and cancelled holidays, we are encouraging everyone to take stock of their mental health.