Experts: Pandemic leading to spike in mental health calls
Decatur DailyJan 15, 2021
Jan. 15—Mental health calls have increased across the Valley, and the root cause is likely COVID-19, according to crisis centers and emergency personnel.
"COVID-19 is on everyone's mind and it is mentioned in many calls now," said
She estimated about 70% of the callers mention the pandemic in relation to job loss, financial troubles and loneliness. "About 10% worry about catching COVID and complain about people not wearing masks in public," she said.
Officials with the
"We've seen more people this year," said
"We're definitely having more phone calls, sometimes from people just wanting to talk to somebody."
"COVID has forced people to stay home. Some are having sleep problems, feelings of anxiety and depression, excessive worrying, headaches, physical pain," she said.
She offered tips help ease the stress.
"We encourage people to stay connected to family and friends, especially when they are feeling lonely," she said. "We want them to focus on positive things, follow a healthy diet and get exercise such as yoga. Take a break from television and social media, negative things that can increase your anxiety."
Coleman said the center assists clients in connecting with crisis counselors who can help the clients build resiliency. She said the
"We are currently receiving a dozen or so calls daily," said
The program offers referral services; online support groups; educational materials for social distancing, quarantine and emotional wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak; and techniques for managing anxiety and stress.
"We offer all callers the opportunity to have a local AAT team member to provide further assistance and follow-up," Turley said.
She said the information line began
Kane said the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline office has provided her center's phone and text-chat specialists with training on handling COVID-related calls, and has provided suggestions on how to calm callers' anxieties about contracting the disease.
Pharis said the calls related to possibly emotionally disturbed people also increased in December, from 174 in
"I can't say they all are mental-health related, but calls involving full cardiac arrest related to COVID-19 have increased pretty significantly," he said. "This virus is causing blood clots to form and leading to cardiac arrest."
Since June, he said, the department is receiving about 10 more calls a month involving COVID-positive patients.
"We try to make those people feel comfortable," he said. "When we arrive we find they're worried what's going to happen to them. They're fearful about going to the hospital, especially those people with underlying conditions. They say they're afraid they'll get put on a ventilator and not come back home."
He said his department has been fortunate to have only had one employee test positive for COVID-19 to date.
Nationally, a public opinion poll by the
Seventy-five percent of those reporting anxiety said COVID-19 was the major factor.
According to a
— mike.wetzel@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2442. Twitter @DD_Wetzel.
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