Google's Year in Search 2021, tells of a world looking to heal

2021's results are out! According to Google's annual "Year in Search" list, released on Wednesday, the past year people just wanted to get better.

As part of its annual report, Google analyses which search terms saw the greatest spikes over the last year.

Search terms and questions that saw unusually high growth in searches provide information about what needs to be made more accessible and give us an idea of what we experienced together.

Also read | 'Yes' to work from home; survey finds that not even 15% Europeans want to go back to office

The results for this year's survey show a world that is rebuilding physically, emotionally and socially after spending 2020 trying to survive and understand the global pandemic.

Searches for "how to heal" reached a new height this year, as people around the world sought ways to come back stronger.

Over the past year, searches related to health, vaccinations, well-being, and helping others have seen the greatest growth.

Finding resources nearby was trending. Many people searched the internet looking for information about vaccinations and testing for COVID-19. "Covid vaccine near me" and "Covid testing near me" were two of the top trending "near me" queries in 2021. 

Also read | Year in Google search 2020: Here's what people searched the most

"I am worthy, I am loved." In 2021, more people than ever were searching for affirmations. 

Going from dealing with the pandemic, to dealing with the effects it wrought on our minds, In 2021, the world spent more time searching for ways to maintain mental health than ever before. Search for topics like anxiety, stress, grief, and therapy has increased dramatically over the past year.

The Google searches this year shows a world that is concerned about helping each other; a victory for humanity. In addition to searches about how to help yourself, searches on "how to help a friend" and "how to help someone having a panic attack" also ranked high.

"How to help Afghanistan" topped worldwide searches in August. While other months saw people searching for "how to help", Haiti, Palestine etc. 

Also read | Here's a look at the trends and moments that dominated Twitter in India

More people were interested in helping out via volunteering. Vaccination volunteer opportunities were the top trending volunteer opportunities in the world this year.

In summary, this year mankind realised that they need to take better care of themselves and their loved ones.