biostudies-literatureRyan SCNational Institute of Environmental Health SciencesNIEHS NIH HHSNational Science Foundation116843https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11134597biostudies-literatureUnknown348In 2020, unprecedented circumstances led to significant mental health consequences. Individuals faced mental health stressors that extended beyond the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including widespread social unrest following the murder of George Floyd, an intense hurricane season in the Atlantic, and the politically divisive 2020 election. The objective of this analysis was to consider changes in help-seeking behavior following exposure to multiple social stressors and a natural disaster. Data from Crisis Text Line (CTL), a national text-based mental health crisis counseling service, was used to determine how help-seeking behavior changed in the wake of each event. Wilcoxon rank sum tests assessed changes in help-seeking behavior for each event in 2020 as compared to the saSocial science & medicine (1982)Short-term changes in mental health help-seeking behaviors following exposure to multiple social stressors and a natural disaster.PMC11134597R15 ES03381720448391R15ES033817-01Green SSugg MMRunkle JDSingh DRyan SCWertis LfalseShort-term changes in mental health help-seeking behaviors following exposure to multiple social stressors and a natural disaster.In 2020, unprecedented circumstances led to significant mental health consequences. Individuals faced mental health stressors that extended beyond the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including widespread social unrest following the murder of George Floyd, an intense hurricane season in the Atlantic, and the politically divisive 2020 election. The objective of this analysis was to consider changes in help-seeking behavior following exposure to multiple social stressors and a natural disaster. Data from Crisis Text Line (CTL), a national text-based mental health crisis counseling service, was used to determine how help-seeking behavior changed in the wake of each event. Wilcoxon rank sum tests assessed changes in help-seeking behavior for each event in 2020 as compared to the sa2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 May2025-07-12T03:05:49.219Z2025-07-12T03:05:49.219ZS-EPMC111345973860391610.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116843