The impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on entertainment workers, and opportunities for systemic change

by Shaina Fawn, LCSW

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global crisis that threatened our physical, psychological, and emotional safety and changed how we operate, relate to one another, and cope. Lockdowns, social isolation, death, loss, grief, and financial uncertainty caused a prolonged activation of the human stress response. This neurobiological response has been associated with the development of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD) and other mental health challenges (Collazo-Castiñeira et al., 2022).

Researchers Hong et al., (2021) confirmed in a recent publication that "COVID 19 is a traumatic event that can increase the general population's vulnerability to PTSD" (p. 842). Additionally, preliminary studies are beginning to show a significant increase in mental health problems in the general population since the pandemic started (Baysan et.). al, 2021). Those working in the entertainment industry have been particularly vulnerable to mental health challenges, such as depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and substance abuse (Film and Television Charity, 2020). The pandemic exacerbated these challenges and made pre-existing cultural and structural challenges within the industry "visible and unable to be ignored" (Comunian, p. 122). With vaccine distribution and the re-opening of productions and live entertainment, workers are now adapting to long-term, traumatic, pandemic-related effects. This adaptation poses unique challenges for the entertainment industry but also has the potential to promote resilience in individuals and encourage lasting systemic change.

Relevant Research

Before the Pandemic

Unfortunately, there is a significant gap in literature regarding entertainment individuals' mental health and wellbeing. However, a few critical studies conducted by nonprofit charities provide insight into these individuals' challenges. In 2019, a year before the pandemic started, Behind the Scenes conducted a study in the United States with 3,500 entertainment industry professionals and found significant concerns for wellbeing. For example, 44% of participants reported suicidal ideation compared to 10% in the general United States population. Furthermore, they found that 91% of participants endorsed symptoms of depression, and 82% endorsed symptoms of anxiety. Bullying, harassment, and fatigue also contributed to diminished mental health. A similar yet larger study conducted in the United Kingdom had similar findings. In addition, industry workers’ financial instability was found to be a substantial contributing factor for diminished mental health and wellbeing.

This economic instability and the precarious and uncertain nature of entertainment jobs have been explored in a handful of other studies over the past few decades. Artistic work is often inconsistent and unpredictable, and for individuals engaged in freelance work, specifically, there is a common expectation that artists are willing to accept lower wages simply because they are passionate about creating art (Comunian & England, 2020, p. 115-116). Furthermore, due to the nature of freelance work, individuals do not receive benefits such as health insurance, causing additional financial strain for many.

During the Pandemic

The pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures had a devastating impact on the entire creative process and not only affected the ability of artists to create, but also brought production and distribution to a halt (UNESCO, 2020). This disruption and loss of security and stability increased the intensity of mental health struggles that were already present before the pandemic. Spiro et al. (2020) conducted a study exploring the effects of COVID-19 with 385 entertainment workers in the United Kingdom. The results found that 53% of respondents reported financial hardship, 85% reported increased anxiety, and 63% reported being lonelier than before the crisis. Furthermore, 76% of respondents had experienced a decrease in income, and 54% considered themselves to be in financial hardship. This perceived financial hardship was associated with lower scores on mental health and wellbeing measures. A study conducted in the general population by Hong et al. in 2021 concluded that a lack of economic security was a risk factor that increased the likelihood of developing PTSD, while experiencing loneliness was a risk factor associated with depression (p 842-843).

Trauma as a Lens for Understanding

The research on trauma and recovery is extensive. It provides a crucial backdrop for understanding how trauma has influenced and exacerbated mental health challenges for entertainment workers that were present even before the pandemic. Trauma occurs at all societal levels, including individual, family, organization, and community. By applying a trauma lens, we can examine the experience of entertainment workers both as individuals and in the context of the larger industry in which they work. Judith Herman, a trauma researcher, refers to trauma as "threats to life or bodily integrity" and as events that "overwhelm the ordinary systems of care that give people a sense of control, connection and meaning" (2015).

Acute Phase of Trauma

Herman's book Trauma and Recovery states that trauma occurs in phases. The first stage of trauma is referred to as the "acute phase," in which individuals experience a loss of control. As a result, the individual's sole focus is on self-preservation and survival (Herman, 2015). In this phase, humans may experience symptoms of anxiety, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and shame and guilt. For the entertainment industry, the acute phase of trauma and loss of control occurred when lockdowns caused film and television production activities to drop by 98%. As a result, roughly 890,000 entertainment professionals became unemployed overnight. Individuals and production companies quickly attempted to pivot to creating art virtually and via digital streaming platforms (Johnson, 2021). Despite attempts, most entertainment workers faced a severe loss of income, and many industry businesses were forced into bankruptcy.

Remembrance and Mourning

After the "acute phase" of trauma comes "remembrance and mourning" (2015). In this phase, individuals are left incredibly vulnerable as they attempt to make meaning of what has occurred. In this vulnerable state, individuals are predisposed to developing trauma symptoms, including flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, nightmares, grief, and disruption in overall functioning. At the time of this inquiry, productions and live entertainment have commenced. However, entertainment professionals and the industry are far from recovering. Time will continue to expose the long-term effects of the trauma caused by COVID-19.

Resilience and Post-Traumatic Growth

Just as trauma occurs at various systems levels, so does recovery. Therefore, a comprehensive exploration of trauma recovery and the experience of entertainment workers during the present time would be incomplete without discussing resilience and Post Traumatic Growth.

Resilience

Resilience is defined as the ability of an individual, community or system to overcome adversity when they have the necessary internal and external resources available to cope (Merlo & Radhakrishnan, 2022, p. 770). Spiro et al. (2021) found that while much of the effect of the pandemic was challenging, entertainment workers in the United Kingdom also reported various "opportunities" that the lockdown presented. Respondents utilized coping strategies such as physical activity, the creation of new habits, and the exploration of new creative opportunities to deal with the negative effects of lockdown. Additionally, connection with family and other artists was an opportunity that helped to mitigate the emotional challenges they faced. Interestingly, some subjects reported that they felt "less” pressure in their day-to-day lives.

Post Traumatic Growth

Post Traumatic Growth is the transformation within an individual and/or a community after a traumatic event. In the Remembrance and Mourning phase of trauma recovery, Post Traumatic Growth opportunities present as individuals reflect and create meaning in their experiences. On an individual level, Post Traumatic Growth can manifest as an increase in life satisfaction, a new world view, improvement in social relationships, a sense of openness to new experiences and an increase in spiritual connectedness (Collazo-Castiñeira et al., 2022).

Opportunities for Systemic Change

Resilience and Post Traumatic Growth in individuals requires systemic change for long- term sustainability. Various opportunities presently exist in the entertainment industry to support a sustainable and healthy workforce, but the entertainment industry's response to COVID-19 can be further expanded to support this effort. For example, when productions were allowed to re-open, a new role of COVID Compliance Officer (CCO) surfaced in the industry. According to Back Stage (Smart, 2021) the role of the CCO was to reduce the spread of the virus by enforcing health and safety protocols, such as proper use of personal protective equipment and adequate social distancing. As the public health threat of COVID-19 diminishes, it is unclear what role, if any, the CCO will serve. Due to the unknown long-term effects of the pandemic in regards to trauma and mental health, it might be argued that the CCO could pivot to supporting the wellbeing of entertainment workers. As research has identified, various threats to wellbeing presently exist. These threats include bullying, harassment, fatigue, and mental health challenges exacerbated by the trauma of the pandemic. In the United Kingdom, Wellbeing Facilitators are emerging as a crucial component of mitigating threats to wellbeing. 6 ft From The Spotlight, a UK-based agency, explains that Wellbeing Facilitators "join productions from the outset, dedicated to fostering a positive working culture from the top down, and ensuring support is available to those who need it" (2022). Other solutions include addressing economic insecurity, initiating stop-bullying campaigns, openly discussing mental health to reduce stigma, and ensuring that entertainment workers have access to proper mental health, trauma, and substance abuse support.

Conclusion

One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that it exposed just how significant and essential mental health and wellbeing are to human functioning. Further, it brought to light various social and systemic issues that were bubbling just under the surface of the entertainment industry. Research has confirmed the hypothesis that entertainment workers were highly vulnerable before the pandemic and that they suffered tremendously during the pandemic. Therefore, the time is ripe to use trauma-informed practices and resources to create solutions to systemic and cultural challenges while encouraging and supporting entertainment workers to engage in self-care activities and activities that foster resilience and growth.

References

Baysan, Palanbek-Yavaş, S., & Emel-Önal, A. (2021). Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health (anxiety and depression symptoms) in the United States of America. Revista de La Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, 69(4), e95387–. https://doi.org/10.15446/revfacmed.v69n4.95387

Behind the Scenes Foundation. (2021). 2019 Survey to Assist in the Development of a Mental Health and Suicide Initiative: Summary of Key Findings. https://wp.behindthescenescharity.org/mental-health-and-suicide-prevention-initiative/2019-industry-survey-summary-of-key-findings/

Collazo-Castiñeira, P., Rodríguez-Rey, R., Garrido-Hernansaiz, H., & Collado, S. (2022). Prediction of post-traumatic growth in the face of the COVID-19 crisis based on resilience, post-traumatic stress and social participation: A longitudinal study. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 985879. 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.985879

Comunian, R., & England, L. (2020). Creative and cultural work without filters: Covid-19 and exposed precarity in the creative economy. Cultural Trends, 29(2), 112-128. 10.1080/09548963.2020.1770577

Film and Television Charity (2020). The Looking Glass Report: Mental health in the UK film, televeision and cinema industry. https://filmtvcharity.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/The-Looking-Glass-Final-Report-Final.pdf

Herman. (2015). Trauma and recovery : the aftermath of violence, from domestic abuse to political terror. Basic Books.

Hong, S., Kim, H., & Park, M. K. (2021). Impact of COVID‐19 on post‐traumatic stress symptoms in the general population: An integrative review. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 30(4), 834-846. 10.1111/inm.12875

Johnson, M. (2021). Hollywood survival strategies in the post-COVID 19 era. Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, 8(1), 1-8. 10.1057/s41599-021-00776-z

Merlo, L. J., & Radhakrishnan, N. (2022). Navigating through the COVID‐19 storm toward posttraumatic growth. Journal of Hospital Medicine, 17(9), 769-771. 10.1002/jhm.12912

Smart, J. (2021). The 101 on the CCO. Back Stage, 62(29), 15. Retrieved from https://tcsedsystem.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/101-on-cco/docview/2585486819/se-2

Spiro, N., Perkins, R., Kaye, S., Tymoszuk, U., Mason-Bertrand, A., Cossette, I., Glasser, S., & Williamon, A. (2021). The Effects of COVID-19 Lockdown 1.0 on Working Patterns, Income, and Wellbeing Among Performing Arts Professionals in the United Kingdom (April–June 2020). Frontiers Media SA. 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.594086

UNESCO.(2020b).“ResiliArt:Artists and Creativity beyond Crisis.” Retrieved November 21, 2022, from https://en.unesco.org/creativity/sites/creativity/files /concept_note_en .pdf