The pandemic has caused an increase in anxiety, stress, depression and suicide

Millions of Americans have lost their jobs. They have seen helplessness when their meager savings disappeared because they were confined to their homes – forbidden to interact with friends, attend church, temple or music and sporting events due to restrictions imposed in response to the Covid-19 -pandemy. This resulted in a profound impact on the mental health and emotional well-being of people – leading to a significant increase in cases of anxiety, depression and death by suicide.

Well-regarded public health entities such as the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Prevention Report and the World Health Organization (WHO), all point out that our mental health is ‘long-suffering’ and ‘issued warnings about the possible effects of COVID-19 on suicidal behavior.’

A major research study concludes that the United Nations and WHO contend that his important to improve their focus on issues related to mental health, including suicide prevention. The organizations claim, “Mental health consequences are likely to last longer and pick up later than the actual pandemic. Suicide is likely to become a more pressing issue as the pandemic spreads and has longer term effects on the general population, the economy and vulnerable groups. ”

In April, the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association wrote that economic stress, social isolation, reduced access to religious services and general national fear increased firearm sales and suicide for health care workers.

Report of the News and World detailed the story of Dr. Lorna Breen, a 49-year-old emergency room physician in New York City. Dr. Breen worked in the troublesome early stages of the outbreak 18-hour days and slept “in the hallways of hospitals.”

She contracted Covid-19 and took some time off from work. When she returned, Dr. Breen was suffering from exhaustion and her family asked her to return home to return to Virginia. Her father said she ‘seemed independent’. She had told her father that “she was also deeply disturbed after witnessing so much death and suffering of patients.” Dr. Breen later died of a self-inflicted injury.

As a nation, we avoid these types of topics because they are not comfortable to talk about. If you think honestly about the situation where we are all together, it should come as no surprise. We are dealing with an unusual pandemic. Our leaders can not agree on anything unless we call rude names. Lawmakers recently flew Washington, DC for the rest of August, on vacation while we wait for news of the loss of the improved $ 600 per week unemployment benefits, whether there will be a new incentive package or not as of late policy to banned outbreaks will be reset.

Scroll through Twitter and within minutes you will see violence and chaos in Portland, Oregon and other major American cities. The mass media raises fear, hatred and racial tensions on an anxious basis. More than 55 million people have filed for unemployment benefits since the outbreak began. People are worried that they will lose their job, will not be recalled from furloughed or wonder if their business will still be solvent. Major iconic corporations, such as JC Penney, Hertz, Neiman Marcus, J. Crew and Brooks Brothers, have filed for bankruptcy protection. A small group of multibillionaires, such as Amazon’s Bez Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg on Facebook, minted billions during the lockdown — while the vast majority of Americans suffer.

Children, young adults and their parents worry about going back to school. There is pressure on parents to juggle their own jobs while also teaching their children at home. When students – lower through college – return to school, there is a fear of the virus popping up.

The CDC conducted a survey of 5,412 people between June 24 and 30 and the data collected on suicide is alarming. Roughly 25% of young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 say they have considered suicide due to the pandemic. About 30.9% of respondents said they “had symptoms of anxiety or depression” and about 26.3% reported trauma and stress-related disorders caused by the outbreak. More than 13% said they had used alcohol, prescription and / or illegal drugs to treat their pandemic-induced stress and anxiety.

The amount of Americans who report anxiety symptoms is three times the number this time last year. The CDC reported that 11% of the surveyed adults had considered suicide in the past 30 days. The study showed “19% of Hispanics reported suicidal ideation” and “15% of Blacks reported suicidal ideation.” As for young adults, Drs. Robert Redfield, director of the CDC, “We see, sadly, now much greater suicide than we are dead of. [Covid-19]. ”

Table Preckwinkle, Cook Board, Illinois president reported that “more African Americans” in their province “have died by suicide this year than in the entire 2019.” Most often, there is an increase in suicide among young people. Preckwinkle somberly shared, “2020 is on pace to be the worst year for suicides in the Black community in a decade.”

The loss of jobs, fear of running out of money or sitting out will not go away immediately. It is critical that our elected officials, business and community leaders, along with health care professionals work on a solution. It is a difficult subject, but one that needs to be brought up and discussed in order to get answers and action.

The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention recommends that those who need emotional support in connection with Covid-19 should call the Disaster Distress Helpline (800-985-5990), or text TalkWithUs to 66746. And if you experience a suicide crisis , you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or text the Crisis Text line by texting HOME to 741741 for assistance.