We May Be at The Beginning of a New Pandemic

Focusing on mental health awareness and understanding is more important now than it has ever been, and we may be at the beginning of a new pandemic that threatens the lives of millions of people. The COVID pandemic and the downstream devastation, have created a perfect storm that has already caused serious crises for those suffering from mental illness and mental disabilities. Being cooped up at home, fear of infection, job loss, financial distress, mourning the loss of family members or friends, or just trying to function day-to-day are making life painful for millions of people.

The Journal of the American Medical Association recently published a study that suggests the current COVID-19 public health crisis and the associated issues like job loss and economic stress is likely to lead to an increase in the suicide rate for years to come. Individually, increased isolation, job loss, and financial stress have already proven to come with increased rates of suicide under normal circumstances. Put them all together and it is shaping up to make what’s already the 10th leading cause of death in American, even worse.

What makes this even more difficult is that you probably know someone with a mental illness, but don’t know that they have a mental illness. Considered “invisible disabilities”, mental illnesses are least likely to be seen or recognized in the population at large, even amongst your friends and family. Despite recent increases in open dialogue about mental health, the ubiquitous cultural taboo prevents many people from revealing their disabilities or discussing how they might be suffering. According to NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Health), 20% of Americans have experienced mental illness, and 1 in 25 experiences a serious mental illness. That means even in a small company, with 25 employees, there are likely to be 5 people who suffer from a mental illness and at least one person is experiencing a serious illness. And the likelihood is even higher that you don’t know who those people are.

Reduced access to mental health care, social distancing (and the reduction in social contact), an increase in gun sales, 24/7 news reporting, and no access to normal treatment are cited as contributing factors to increased risk. People of color, in particular, face an even greater risk. Among people with a mental health diagnosis, only a small number have received treatment. According to NAMI, only 24% of Asian adults, 31% of black adults, and 33% of Hispanic or Latinx adults have received treatment.

There are some things we can all do to help reduce the risk and reach out a hand to those silently in need.

1.   Be Kind – Most of us are feeling pretty tense right now and our tolerance may have shortened. Take a moment to consider the statistics above and think how you would handle this situation if you knew this person spent the whole night crying or lost track of a job task as a result of a breakdown or episode.

2.   Physical Distance, Not Social Distance – Social distancing doesn’t mean we have to stop talking or socializing. Reach out with a phone call to a friend to say “Hi!” or send a nice hand-written note to someone in your circle wishing them well or thanking them for the work they’ve done. Both of these have been shown in clinical trials to reduce suicide rates.

3.   Watch Your Words – Most people who with a mental health diagnosis or who suffer undiagnosed, still don’t talk about for fear of public stigma, especially in a work setting. That fear is built over time from hearing small judgments, made in casual conversations, about mental health or mental illness. Think about the words you use when this topic comes up, no matter whom you’re talking to. Remember the 1-in-5 stat above.

4.   Mental Health Access – There needs to be more access to mental health for all, regardless of status. Advocate for your business to include free mental health tools and services or get involved in local efforts to increase mental health outreach.

If you are suffering yourself, there are already lots of resources available. Some of the easiest to access are:

·     The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK)

·     The National Institute for Mental Health Help for Mental Illness

·     Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

All three have free services above have 24/7 access to help people who want more information or who may be in immediate distress. This is a difficult time for everyone and the phrase “We’re going to get through this together” may seem overused, but for mental health, it is the only way we’ll move forward and possibly the only way we’ll avoid the next public health epidemic.