Depression, anxiety spikes in an era of outbreaks and turbulence

The case load of mental health therapists is inflated. The number of people waiting for reservation is increasing. Research suggests that anxiety and depression are increasing among Americans during the coronavirus crisis.

In a recent study suggesting a rising trend, half of the US adults surveyed had at least some signs of depression, including feelings of despair, feeling like failure, or little pleasure in doing something. Was reported. Researchers at Boston University said Wednesday in the JAMA Network Open medical journal that it was twice as fast as another survey two years ago.

The study didn’t ask about any diagnosis they might have, and for many, the problem is largely anxious rather than a full-blown mental illness. But experts say the feelings are genuine and deserve the help of experts.

For some, it results from lost loved ones and economic distress and social isolation caused by the outbreak. Experts say the BU study was done before the recent turmoil, but Americans are also worried about racial and political upheavals in the past few months.

“There is no doubt that many people in the United States and around the world have experienced realistic and often disastrous emotional reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic and, in some cases, to contracting the virus,” he says. Ph.D. at Dr. SUNY Upstate Medical College.

The global outbreak has killed more than 850,000 people and has confirmed infections in about 26 million people. There are a total of 6 million cases in the United States, with approximately 185,000 deaths. The crisis also lost millions of workers, hampered the economy and forced the closure of bars, restaurants, theaters and gyms.

Between March and July, calls to the US Government-sponsored disaster relief helpline, which provides counseling and emotional support, surged 335% over the same period last year.

Hanna Collins, a spokesman for Vibrant Emotional Health, a group that operates the helpline, said: “Helpline counselors have expressed concerns about isolation and interpersonal relationships related to physical distance, such as being disconnected from social support. Report the person.”

Not all calls are related to COVID-19, but many people seek the help of anxiety and fear about the infection of the virus, the pain of being diagnosed, or the illness or death of a loved one. I am.

The BU’s survey included a survey of 1,440 US adults questioned about symptoms of depression in early April. Symptoms were most common among young adults, low-income participants, and those who reported some outbreak-related troubles, including financial problems, unemployment, and deaths of relatives from COVID-19. About 1,000 participants experienced at least three such struggles.

Dr. Sandro Galea, the first author of BU’s public health expert, said the results of the study were conducted during an early Chinese study, during the Ebola and SARS crisis, and after a major hurricane and 9/11. It said that it reflects the research that was done.

The investigation was conducted before the surge of US civil war, including the death of George Floyd on May 24, when the Minneapolis police officer struck his neck for a few minutes and said the authorities were killed. But Prime Minister Galea said other studies have shown increased symptoms of depression after traumatic events, suggesting that anxiety is likely to contribute to American anxiety.

At Chicago’s Cityscape counseling, the case load of new clients has jumped from 95 to 148 in the past two months, executive director Chelsea Hudson said. Seventeen therapists in the group see about 500 clients a week, and Hudson said she hired two therapists to address the increased demand.

“We see a lot of single young professionals, and I find them particularly tough. They increase isolation, lack of connectivity, and often depression,” she said.

Hudson said many clients suffer from social justice issues. In more free time, they were paying more attention to the news and Chicago was hit by protests over vandalism and police killings, she said.

“There is a general consensus in the mental health field about what we need to be prepared to brush up our trauma training. Now people are still in shock,” she said.

Wendy Silber of Dodge County, Wisconsin said he developed anxiety and depression after testing positive for the virus in June. She said she was partly ill and still having breathing and memory problems, partly due to her husband’s reaction.

“He thought COVID was a joke, and that all Democrats were trying to make Trump absent,” she said. “It still hurts.”

Gilber, 45, said she had spent many days in tears and her doctor prescribed antidepressants.

“It was overwhelming only for a few weeks. She said, “I couldn’t work. It’s not entirely me. I’m usually making people laugh.”

The therapist she first called had a waiting list. She wants a session with what she finds helpful.

“I need someone to help me deal with the tool,” she said.

Todd Krieger, a Southern California therapist specializing in relationship problems, increased his weekly workload from 22 hours of treatment to 30 hours to meet the increasing demand. He sees anxiety, depression, and stress associated with the financial problems posed by the pandemic. And in some cases, virus-related shutdowns are amplifying existing conflicts.

”Previously, people could be distracted when going to concerts and dinners. Now their problem is like looking at them head on,” he said. “I heard people say, “This pandemic made me notice how toxic my relationship was.”