There is no question that people have been struggling during the most recent Pandemic, COVID-19. At River Rock Treatment we have seen jobs that have been lost, social reunions that have been cancelled and quality of mental health has been depleted across the board. Those who have had to isolate have experienced a new sense of loneliness. Experiencing trauma has led large numbers of affected people to report distress, including new or worsening symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia (National Institute of Mental Health). Those dealing with mental health previous to the pandemic have had to find alternate ways to cope and grieve.
Therapy has been resorted to Zoom meetings and phone calls, leaving them with loss of personal connection. Psychology Today explains how “a meta-analytic review, which analyzed results of roughly 150 studies, underlines the relationship between loneliness on our health and found that a lack of social integration was more strongly associated with increased risk of death than were factors such as obesity or alcohol consumption”. One CDC report, which surveyed adults across the country a year ago (June of 2020) showed 31% of respondents reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression, 13% reporting having started or increasing substance use, 26% reporting stress-related symptoms, and 11% reporting having serious thoughts of suicide in the past 30 days (NIMH). According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “these numbers are nearly double the rates we would have expected before the pandemic”. Although a decrease in people’s mental health was expected, it is now time to dive in and assess further avenues to recover.
It is important to be aware of how you have been affected by COVID, mentally, physically and spiritually and to determine what steps you can take going forward to receive the appropriate help. If you or someone you know has been experienced mental health problems during the time of COVID-19, call one of our highly trained admissions representatives today to schedule an assessment.
In addition to the crisis of the mental health epidemic during COVID-19, we also need to be aware of how the transition back into an open world and busy society will affect us. Many of us are weary and unsure on how to act in and take on social settings after being detached for over a year. These aspects of re-establishing connections and routines can be overwhelming and we must not take it lightly. Stay mindful of your needs and remain knowledgeable on resources to use in your community to help you through this societal shift. Visit our blog about RECONNECTING AFTER COVID-19 for more information on how to progress with these changing times.
River Rock Treatment offers Substance abuse and mental health treatment in Burlington Vermont. Call our admissions team today to learn more.
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