Health
'Pandemic skip,' a COVID mental health phenomenon, could delay major milestones, experts say
The coronavirus pandemic resulted in a lot of loss — and to this day people may be losing out because of it.
A mental health phenomenon dubbed the “pandemic skip” has caught viral attention on social media.
The hosts of the podcast “Between Us Girlies” revealed their understanding of the concept in a TikTok video, which has been viewed over six million times.
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“Whatever age you were when the pandemic started is … where you’re at mentally,” Casey Corradin, the Pennsylvania-based co-host, said in the video, which was posted in November 2023.
“So, these women that were, like, 27 when the pandemic started, and then it’s three years later and they’re 30, and everyone around them is having kids, they’re like … ‘I’m not ready to have kids. I’m still young, I’m 27.’”
She added, “We were in our early 20s when the pandemic started — and we took a big chunk of the early-20s, figuring-your-life-out phase, and now we’re 27 and we’re still figuring it out.”
Dominique Hamler, a registered nurse and executive director of the Los Angeles Outpatient Center, told Fox News Digital that the pandemic skip could pose a real concern for people of all ages.
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“I am just excited that there is a word for it, because we definitely lost a moment of our lives during the pandemic,” she said.
“People were suffering with not only illness, but the fact that we were isolated and couldn’t even touch each other for a long period of time.”
Los Angeles Outpatient Center executive director Dominique Hamler said the pandemic skip could pose a real concern for people of all ages. (AONL Conference 2023)
Hamler worked on the front lines of the pandemic as a registered nurse. She said the pandemic skip refers to “that time period where our lives were disrupted.”
“Our lives were totally changed and will never be the same,” she said. “Not to mention our experience of what we lost from the aspect of time that we’ll never be able to gain again.”
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Hamler considers the concept a “mental regression,” as people feel stuck at the same developmental period and age they were when the pandemic started.
“We’re still processing it years later,” she said.
Psychologist Dr. Yamalis Diaz of NYU Langone reiterated that the pandemic skip represents a significant pause or slowing down of development.
A mental health phenomenon dubbed the “pandemic skip” has gone viral. (iStock)
“It’s almost like a movie you paused and resumed,” she said in a conversation with Fox News Digital.
“For people in a developmentally sensitive state … when a lot of developmental change is occurring, such as young adults, it makes sense that they would feel this most, compared to older adults whose lives were already relatively stable when the pandemic started.”
“People were suffering with not only illness, but the fact that we were isolated and couldn’t even touch each other for a long period of time.”
Young adults in particular may feel this impact when it comes to completing education, making career decisions, dating, establishing long-term relationships and becoming financially independent, Diaz said.
“[These] are all critical elements of this developmental stage and were highly impacted by having to ‘pause,’” she said.
Traditional plans and milestones were also put on hold during the pandemic, said Hamler.
Establishing long-term relationships is one of the critical developmental phases that was highly impacted by the pandemic, an expert said. (iStock)
“If you were a young adult, maybe thinking about getting married or having kids, that was put on hold,” she said.
This “skip” could result in continued delayed development if not addressed, Hamler warned.
“We are just at the tip of the iceberg [when it comes to] addressing mental health as a whole,” she said.
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“It’s going to delay everything until we start having a conversation about it, start getting the therapy and the treatment we need to address the trauma” that the pandemic caused, she said.
For some people, Hamler suggested a “deeper dive” may be necessary in order to “advance mentally, spiritually and emotionally.”
For some people, a “deeper dive” may be necessary in order to “advance mentally, spiritually and emotionally,” an expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“It’s going to take some time and … a full, head-on focus on mental health,” she said.
Diaz agreed that the pandemic skip will cause a ripple effect that could delay other milestones, but noted that it’s “not necessarily a completely new phenomenon.”
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“[This] is part of the basis for Dr. Jeffrey Arnett’s Emerging Adulthood theory,” she said.
Arnett, a psychologist, proposed that people between ages 18 and 25 are in a period called “emerging adulthood.”
“Our lives were totally changed and will never be the same.”
“In essence, when you look back over generations, the ‘path to adulthood’ has gotten longer, and young adults are reaching what are considered ‘traditional adulthood markers’ — finishing education, leaving home, becoming financially independent, starting a career, getting married and having kids — at older ages.”
Since the pandemic was “such a dramatic, ‘stop-everything’ kind of event,” Diaz suggested that it’s likely to impact transition times for the 20-something generations, he suggested.
Young party-goers dressed as holiday characters participate in the annual SantaCon pub crawl on Dec. 9, 2023, in New York City. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
“This is especially true when you also consider mental health, which could also impact young adults’ ability to successfully transition through this stage,” she said.
“Given that this stage of development is already susceptible to increased anxiety, depression and executive functioning difficulties, the pandemic … added pressure to an already pressured developmental turning point.”
Hamler recommended “giving yourself time” instead of chasing milestones that may have been missed.
Pubs and restaurants reopen in London’s Soho following the U.K. government’s relaxing of COVID restrictions in England on April 12, 2021. (Jeremy Selwyn/Evening Standard via Getty Images)
With 2024 marking four years since the coronavirus outbreak, Hamler encouraged people not to suppress their emotions and to seek professional help when needed.
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“We need to talk about our problems,” she said. “It’s OK to feel angry, frustrated, depressed, anxious — all these feelings are normal.”
Travelers wear face masks as a preventive measure during the COVID-19 outbreak as they arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City on March 20, 2020. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)
“Between Us Girlies” podcast co-host Corradin echoed this remark in a conversation with Fox News Digital.
“It’s so comforting to see so many people, across all different ages, who feel the same way,” she said.
“[The fact that it’s] resonating with so many different people shows us that even if we feel alone — we’re not.”
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Older adults who avoid meat in their golden years may be less likely to reach age 100 than their meat-eating counterparts, new research suggests.
Researchers tracked more than 5,000 adults aged 80 or older who were enrolled in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey.
Between 1998 and 2018, data showed that those who did not eat meat were less likely to reach their 100th birthday than those who consumed animal products regularly.
The findings seem to contradict previous studies that have linked vegetarianism and plant-based diets to lower risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity.
Most evidence supporting the benefits of plant-based diets comes from studies tracking younger populations, the researchers noted.
The findings contrast with previous research praising plant-based diets for their positive influence on heart health. (iStock)
The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, points to losses in muscle mass and bone density with age, shifts that can increase the risk of malnutrition and frailty in the “oldest old.”
As people enter their 80s and 90s, the nutritional priority often shifts from preventing long-term chronic diseases to maintaining day-to-day physical function, experts say.
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“The headline ‘vegetarians over 80 less likely to reach 100’ sounds surprising, because it contrasts with decades of data linking plant‑forward diets to lower chronic disease risk earlier in life,” Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian, told Fox News Digital.
“However, once you see that this research is limited to adults over the age of 80 who are also underweight — and that this link disappears with the consumption of eggs, dairy and fish — the results are less surprising.”
While diets earlier in life tend to emphasize avoiding long-term disease, older age necessitates nutrients and weight maintenance, experts say. (iStock)
In those over 80, restricting animal proteins may be less likely to promote longevity, according to Palinski-Wade, who was not involved in the study.
Eliminating all animal protein — particularly in a population that may already experience diminished hunger cues — can make it more difficult to meet adequate protein needs, potentially increasing the risk of nutrient deficiencies, the nutritionist said.
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In addition to a higher tendency to be underweight, older populations also face a greater risk of bone fractures due to lower calcium and protein intake.
Potential limitations
The lower rate of vegetarians reaching 100 was only observed in participants identified as underweight, the researchers noted. No such association was found in people who maintained a healthy weight.
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Because being underweight is already linked to greater frailty and mortality risk, the researchers noted that body weight may partly explain the findings, making it difficult to determine whether diet itself played a direct role.
Those incorporating animal-sourced products other than meat were just as likely to live to 100. (iStock)
Additionally, the shortened lifespans were not found in people who continued to eat non-meat animal products, such as fish, dairy and eggs.
Older adults with these more flexible diets were just as likely to live to 100 as those eating meat, as these foods may provide the nutrients necessary for maintaining muscle and bone health, the researchers noted.
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“This is an observational study, so it can only show associations, and does not prove that avoiding meat directly reduces the odds of reaching 100,” Palinski-Wade added.
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The researchers suggested that including small amounts of animal-sourced foods could help older seniors maintain essential nutrients and avoid the muscle loss often seen in those who stick strictly to plants.
Eliminating all animal protein — particularly in a population that may already experience diminished hunger cues — can make it more difficult to meet adequate protein needs, potentially increasing the risk of nutrient deficiencies. (iStock)
Palinski-Wade offered some guidance for those looking to optimize nutrition later in life.
“For adults in their 80s and beyond, especially anyone losing weight or muscle, the priority should be maintaining a healthy weight and meeting protein and micronutrient needs — even if that means adding or increasing fish, eggs, dairy or well‑planned, fortified plant proteins and supplements.”
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Strict vegan or very low‑protein patterns at that age should be carefully monitored by a dietitian or clinician, with attention to B12, vitamin D, calcium and total protein, according to Palinski-Wade.
“Younger and healthier adults can still confidently use plant‑forward or vegetarian patterns to lower long‑term chronic disease risk,” she added.
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In a dramatic turn of events that’s captured the attention of animal lovers worldwide, Punch — the young macaque at a zoo in Japan famous for his inseparable bond with a stuffed orangutan toy — has reached a major milestone in his journey toward social integration.
On Thursday, visitors and staff at the Ichikawa Zoological and Botanical Garden witnessed a breakthrough: Punch was seen cuddling with and hitching a ride on the back of a fellow macaque.
Punch’s story began with hardship. He was abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth in July 2025 — and to ensure his survival, zookeepers stepped in to hand-rear the primate.
On Jan. 19, 2026, the zoo officially began the process of reintegrating Punch into the “monkey mountain” enclosure.
The transition was initially fraught with tension.
Punch’s story began with hardship when he was abandoned by his mother shortly after he was born. To help him, zookeepers gave him a stuffed toy that he began dragging around everywhere he went. (David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
As a hand-reared infant, Punch was bullied and ignored by the established group of monkeys.
He was often seen huddled alone with his orange plush companion while the rest of the troop interacted.
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In an official statement released Feb. 27, the Ichikawa Zoological and Botanical Garden detailed the meticulous care behind this process.
Previous viral videos showed Punch bullied by the rest of the troop, running to his plushy toy for comfort. (David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“From an animal welfare perspective, our primary goal is to reintegrate Punch with the troop,” the zoo said.
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The strategy involved nursing Punch within the enclosure, so the troop could recognize him as one of their own, and pairing him with a gentle young female macaque prior to his full release to build his confidence.
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The latest footage, captured by X user @tate_gf, suggested the zoo’s patience is paying off.
The video shows Punch seeking physical contact not from his toy, but from another monkey — eventually climbing onto its back for a vital social behavior for young macaques: the “piggyback ride.”
The zoo’s strategy appears to be paying off: Punch, shown at far left, was recently seen riding on the back of a fellow macaque. (David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
While Punch still carries his stuffed toy for comfort during moments of perceived danger, the zoo remains optimistic about his progress.
The organization cited the successful 2009 case of Otome, another hand-reared macaque who eventually outgrew her stuffed toy, successfully integrated — and went on to raise four offspring of her own.
The zoo has had crowds coming to see Punch, with hundreds of people lining up to get inside to see the young star, according to reports.
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“I’m hoping Punch has a good life like everybody else does, and think he’s a cute little guy,” one person commented online.
“Such a precious baby,” another person wrote.
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