On top of the medical and economic havoc unleashed by the spread of COVID-19 around the world, people must also contend with a troubling psychological byproduct left in its wake: trauma.

In May, the United Nations warned of a global surge in mental illness cases as people face the loss of loved ones, jobs, homes, and financial security. Left unchecked, the mental health implications of these catastrophic outcomes could affect an entire generation.

In the following podcast (see video above), Mayuri Mei Lin interviews two mental health experts about the dire circumstances people living with mental illness face and legacy this pandemic will leave behind.

If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Alliance on Mental Illness at 800-950-6264, if you are located in the US, or text “NAMI” to 741741. Befrienders is available worldwide at befrienders.org.