"But Augie, if repeated #COVID19 infections were harming brains, wouldn't we see evidence of that?" Thanks for asking. Yes, we would. Diminished cognition, memory impairment, attention deficits, and damage to executive functions would lead to multiple growing problems, such as:
A doubling of unruly air passengers compared to before COVID: https://www.faa.gov/unruly
1/3
A tripling of threats to local school officials since before #COVID19: https://www.npr.org/2025/07/11/nx-s1-5428534/school-board-members-threats-harassment-dei-lgbtq-covid-pandemic-princeton
A rise of working-age disabled adults that just keeps getting worse: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LNU01074597
Accelerating decline of student test scores. Math for 4th graders (who were in kindergarten while we wore masks) declined one point in the six years before COVID but four points since. Reading for 4th graders dropped 2 points from 2013 to 2019 and 5 points since. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/reading-scores-fall-to-new-low-on-naep-fueled-by-declines-for-struggling-students/2025/01 2/3
Driving is getting worse, with half saying people in their area are driving more dangerously than before #COVID19, while only 9% say people are driving more safely. Also, road rage is more common and deadlier since COVID: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/11/20/what-the-data-says-about-dangerous-driving-and-road-rage-in-the-us/
We're choosing to ignore all the signs and research because... why? 3/3
@augieray after covid, my emotional regulation became really bad like a guidewire had snapped and i ruined some relationships. luckily i had already been in therapy for cptsd so i had the help i needed at the right time. my cognitive abilities also got messed up. i used to really enjoy fixing things like sewing machines and i for awhile totally lost the ability to tolerate being frustrated, which is a key component of troubleshooting. one day i remember buying some ikea thing and when i went to put it together, i just looked at all the parts and started to cry. that had been something i had enjoyed before i got sick. it's been three years and i'm finally feeling close to back to normal but it took a huge amount of work to get it back.
there is such huge stigma around stuff involving the brain that it seems like this is likely happening to a lot of people who will never tell anyone about it
@augieray While I'd love to blame the whole of the increase of anti-social behaviors on the plague, locally we were observing a steadily increased trend of it before we reached any of the shutdowns.
I agree and believe that things are likely worse because of the results of COVID.
By analogy, when you have someone dealing with Alzheimer's, maintaining a calm environment can make or break some of their outcomes. The world that was being built before the plague was everything but calm.
@augieray I've had awful trouble with mood regulation - angry outbursts, manic spells and sudden depressive lows that are completely out-of-character for me. At first I didn't link it to COVID, and only happened to stumble over a Rolling Stone article on "personality change" emerging as a common persistent symptom.
I don't visit the local pub anymore because if anyone gives me agro, I don't trust myself not to respond in the worst possible way. Easier just to avoid those situations entirely.
@augieray Thanks. Of course, the trouble we face as a society is that millions of people lack self-insight, and assume their moods always have an external cause. Those are the road ragers, and the folks kicking off on airplanes that you mention.
You're doing a great job raising awareness, so thank YOU for tracking these issues and keeping your followers informed!
In 1/3, that sounds like correlation, rather than causation, without more evidence.
Now reading on...
Edit: yeah. Not seeing evidence of 'causation' there, which does not mean it isn't there.
@bytebro You're right--correlation does not mean causation. But when you see a half dozen signals that demonstrate a profound change occurring in 2020 when the pandemic started, correlation is nothing to ignore.
If you don't like these correlations, then perhaps you'd like to read the 500+ research studies that find COVID damages brains, cognition, and mental health. Would that be sufficient causation for you?
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12VbMkvqUF9eSggJsdsFEjKs5x0ABxQJi5tvfzJIDd3U/edit?usp=sharing
Sure, and I'm absolutely not 'having a go' here. Just that stuff can, sometimes, look like a cause. Perhaps it is.
For example, personally I've experienced huge 'lethargy' since 2020 COVID. Doesn't immediately imply that I have some post-viral CFS, although that as well is a possibility.
@bytebro You continue to argue over whether the correlations (nationally or in yourself) are causal. I just shared 500 thoroughly researched studies proving it isn't.
Given the speed of your response, you obviously didn't spend 10 second clicking the link and reading any research.
What's the point of having an opinion if you're going to ignore millions of dollars of research, hard science, and data that provides you an answer?
@augieray
I've worked at a 900 capacity soft-seat #theatre for almost 9 years. Before the first lockdown, we had hired security guards once - as a condition for a celebrity appearance.
Within 6 months of being back from lockdowns, we had to hire 4 security guards who now attend (almost) every performance.
This is attributed to a DRASTIC spike in unruly, disrespectful and even violent behaviour from patrons.
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