It has been a year since COVID-19 was declared a world emergency, Utah health experts are warning about what has been called “a second pandemic within that pandemic”.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health has probably not been fully realized yet, but studies are already showing trends, including increases in anxiety, depression and substance abuse in the state and across the country, said local mental health experts at a virtual press conference organized by the Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah.
“A year ago, we started going through a situation that we have never had before in our lives,” said Dr. Mark Rapaport, CEO of the Huntsman Mental Institute, on Thursday.
“Suddenly, it was a feeling of helplessness. Suddenly, there was a change in agency – a change in our belief that we somehow controlled our lives and our destinies. We started a journey that allowed us, unfortunately, to experience loneliness and experience a feeling of helplessness in ways that we never imagined we would do in our life. “
Rapaport said that “suddenly, the definition of what an essential worker is” has changed radically, and Utahns and people around the world have experienced “remarkable changes”.
With all these changes, there is growing evidence that more Americans are experiencing anxiety and depression problems, Rapaport said. In addition, “the amount of alcohol sales has skyrocketed, as have problems with substance use disorders,” he said.
“We have a second pandemic within that pandemic now,” said Rapaport.
Research by Dr. Andrew Smith, a clinical psychologist at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, found that more than half of teachers, medical professionals and first responders at risk for mental health problems, particularly alcohol use, insomnia and depression.
Last year, the Huntsman Mental Health Institute also received more than 105,000 calls for help. Total calls to the Statewide CrisisLine and the Statewide WarmLine – phone lines designed to provide mental health assistance – combined increased 48% from March 2021 compared to March 2020, according to the institute. These calls increased 42% year-over-year for Utah CrisisLine and 68% for Utah WarmLine.
In addition, the Huntsman Mental Health Institute is seeing “increasing levels of stress and emotional crisis” from people who have called since the start of the pandemic. The institute reported that it is taking 41% longer for certified workers in crisis cases to support callers in March, compared to March 2020.
“This is a time of great change and great opportunity,” said Rapaport.
He urged the Utahns to be “very vigilant” and to watch out for the red flags of their loved ones and others, warning that the pandemic’s mental health impacts have probably not yet been fully realized.
“We don’t know the impact of all these changes on children of different ages,” he said. “We are going to have to work very, very hard and devote a lot of time and attention to the care of the children, the first respondents and each other in a way that is empathetic and respectful.”
Rachel Lucynski, manager of crisis services business operations at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, told of a woman who recently called a crisis line “saying she wanted to die. She had intention and had a plan and access to lethal means. “
“She was in the basement of her house trying not to disturb her husband, who was working from home,” said Lucynski.
Crisis workers kept the woman on the phone for 30 minutes, said Lucynski, and helped support her in one of three panic attacks she has had in the past 12 hours. A mobile crisis support team came to her home and met with her. Finally, the woman was taken to the institute and health professionals referred her for follow-up care.
“She left with hope and was grateful for the support and collaborative intervention of our team,” said Lucynski. “Ultimately, this saved the cost of a visit to the emergency department and certainly saved his family from a very devastating and traumatic experience.”
Citing research data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, KFF research and data from the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, Rapaport and other health experts who joined him on Thursday listed a series of statistics that concern them. They included:
- 4 out of 10 adults reported new symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorder, an increase of four times since last year.
- Young adults aged 18 to 24 are twice as likely as all adults to report substance use or an increase in substance use (25% compared to 13%) and recent suicidal thoughts (26% compared to 11%).
- More women than men face mental health challenges. During the pandemic, women reported more symptoms of anxiety and / or depressive disorder (47% compared to 38%).
- Between March and October 2020, the number of visits to the emergency department across the country by children under 18 for mental health reasons increased by 44% over the previous year, according to the CDC. For children between 5 and 11 years old, it was 24%.
- People who are losing their jobs are at greater risk of mental health problems. Adults in families who have lost jobs or reduced income report higher rates of mental health symptoms than other families (53% compared to 32%).
- Essential workers face more significant challenges than other workers. Essential workers are more likely to report symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder (42% compared to 30%), increased substance use (25% compared to 11%) or recent suicidal thoughts (22% compared to 8% ).
- Color communities are disproportionately affected. Non-Hispanic black adults (48%) and Hispanic or Latino adults (46%) are more likely to report symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder than white adults (40%).
Asked about a study that the Utah Department of Health released in late January that found no significant increases in suicides, mental disorders or drug overdoses, Rapaport said the data “are not consistent with what we are seeing at the national level.”
“What happens with studies so often is that they are snapshots of what people perceive,” he said. “We know well from the CDC, we know well from research published not only in this country, but in other countries, that unfortunately depression rates, suicide rates and suicide attempts, substance use disorders and overdose deaths, as well as anxiety disorders and PTSD have increased dramatically. ”
Rapaport said looking at the “weight of scientific evidence” in international studies, “they all point to the fact that we are in a mental health pandemic”.
Lucynski said mental health experts are “looking forward to seeing the delayed effects” of the pandemic.
“Therefore, we are encouraged, and crisis services in particular, we are proud of the services we offer to the state of Utah and we hope and feel that they are helping to mitigate some of the increased stressors and ensuring that people do not pay for have access to rescue services, ”said Lucynski. “We definitely know that although it is a preliminary and encouraging result, there is still a lot of work to be done.”
One suicide is still too much, added Lucynski.
Dr. Kristin Francis, assistant clinical professor specializing in adult, child and adolescent psychiatry at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, said “there is some really good evidence that there is a gap of about two years after a major crisis in which suicides increase. ”
Therefore, there may be a delay or “dampening” between the pandemic and when the severity of its impacts on mental health is fully manifested, said Francis.
“Suicide rates can increase by up to 6%, which has been seen in other major disasters before,” she said. “So I think it is very important to be aware and vigilant about this period of time, right? We are only in our first year of a pandemic. ”
Interestingly, Francis said, she is seeing more people seeking support for “rather intense suicidal thoughts”.
For help, Utahns can call the Utah CrisisLine, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be reached at 1-800-273-8255 (toll-free) or 801-587-3000 (local) . The Utah WarmLine is available seven days a week, from 8 am to 11 pm, by calling 833-SPEAKUT.