This editorial discusses a special issue of PLOS Medicine documenting research on the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The papers reveal a selective impact on mental health, primarily affecting mood and anxiety disorders, with increases influenced by time-varying contextual factors and pre-existing social determinants. While populations showed resilience, significant inequities in mental health burden and access to care were highlighted, particularly affecting women, young people, and low-income groups. The editorial emphasizes the need for future research to address limitations in current studies and calls for standardized measures, digital technologies, novel interventions, and better characterization of treatment response predictors.

Vikram Patel, Daisy Fancourt, Toshi A Furukawa, Lola Kola