Americans’ Stress Is Increasing, Yet Patients Are Not Seeking Help

While the physical toll of the COVID-19 pandemic has been well documented, the mental health impact has been less apparent.

Beyond the obvious concerns of illness and death, the pandemic has increased other stressors. Isolation. Disrupted routines. Concerns about jobs and personal finances. Lack of access to basic necessities like food and housing. Missing major milestones like weddings and graduations. The stress of managing childcare and children’s education.

Add to this the societal upheaval in the fight against racism, and Americans are being bombarded with stress.

Yet in the midst of all of this suffering, Cleveland Clinic researchers have uncovered a deeply concerning trend. Their study, published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, shows a 60 percent decrease in suicide-related emergency department visits one month after Ohio issued a statewide stay-at-home order. The study also reports a 28 percent decrease in behavioral health visits and a 14 percent decrease in alcohol-related visits.

As stressors increase, we would expect to see an associated increase in mental health-related visits. The fact that we’re not is troubling and could signal an impending mental health crisis.

For those who are feeling overly stressed or depressed, do not hesitate to seek help. Contact your healthcare provider – whether for an in-person appointment or a virtual appointment. Hospitals are among the safest places one can visit during the pandemic, but you can still seek professional help without leaving your house.

Though we may be isolated, understand that you are not alone in feeling increasingly stressed.

The American Psychological Association’s (APA) annual Stress in America survey finds many Americans are experiencing considerable pandemic-related stress and are reporting higher levels of general stress than in recent years. This is especially true for people of color. A second APA survey found that more than 8 in 10 Americans (83%) say the future of our nation is a significant source of stress, much higher than 69% in 2018.

Eventually, mental and emotional stress can manifest itself physically. In fact, a study published today by Cleveland Clinic researchers in JAMA Network Open found a significant increase in patients experiencing stress cardiomyopathy – dysfunction or failure in the heart muscle – during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, just 1.7% of acute coronary syndrome patients came to our hospitals with stress cardiomyopathy. During the pandemic, that rate rose to 7.8%

In times like these, it’s important that we take care of ourselves and each other. At Cleveland Clinic, our goal is to treat each other like family. We’ve provided as much support as possible to all of our employees, by providing a safe workspace, offering mental health counseling and support, and establishing resources for housing, financial and childcare needs.

 After all, we – employers, employees, coworkers, friends, loved ones and neighbors --- are all in this together.