It has been a difficult year for all of us. The COVID-19 pandemic has created and exposed serious problems lying beneath the glossy surface of modern society, while the wave of protests against police brutality and racism have ratcheted up political tension around the world. In a time of unprecedented stress, those suffering from mental health and substance misuse problems have been struggling more than ever before. Let’s take a hard look at the problems 2020 has brought to light, and the lessons we can learn from the tumultuous first six months of this year.
What We’ve Learned About Mental Health
The virus has taken a horrible toll on society, and its worst impacts have been felt by our most vulnerable peers. Social isolation, unemployment, and dramatically increased levels of stress impact all of us, but family support, financial resources, and even a safe environment or a garden can cushion the blows. Numerous studies have shown that vulnerable groups are more likely to be adversely affected by the virus. Ethnic and racial minorities, alcoholics, drug addicts, and the mentally ill are both more likely to contract the virus, and more likely to become seriously ill if they are infected. They are also more likely to suffer from stress and trauma as friends and family members suffer the consequences of the pandemic, whether via financial distress, mental health struggles, or the illness itself.
A recent article in the Scientific American magazine by a pair of psychiatrists details 5 key strategies governments can use to repair some of the damage of what they fear is an “impending mental health crisis.” They recommend the widespread adoption of telehealth services, which will allow greater access to doctors and mental health professionals for those in need, as well as allowing the physicians to be familiar with the living situations and circumstances of their patients. They also recommend expanding resources for those suffering from substance use disorders, emphasizing services that can be accessed from home; expanding the continuum of care to include more intensive outpatient programs; using personalized data to better predict the needs of patients; and finally creating more preventive mental health services to counteract mental health problems and expose more sufferers to treatment services before they reach a crisis point.
In the UK, many are beginning to worry about the mental health of another group that has been severely affected by the virus: health-care workers. A recent report in The Guardian notes that stress-related psychiatric illnesses could be present in “50% of UK doctors and 40% of nurses.” Even before the COVID-19 crisis, a 2019 study found that 80% of UK doctors and medical students had a “high or very high risk of burnout.” The same study also found that 33% of regularly used alcohol, illicit drugs, or medication as a coping mechanism for dealing with stress. The Guardian also found that “of 868 UK healthcare workers surveyed, more than 60% have felt down, depressed or hopeless during the pandemic; nearly 80% have had sleeping difficulties, and 60% have felt lonely.” One key lesson we should be taking away from this is that we absolutely need to take care of our frontline health-care workers, and give them the time and the resources to look after themselves. We can’t let these vitally important professionals burnout!
Addiction and the Pandemic
We’ve already written a lot about COVID-19’s impact on the addicted, and we’ll continue to advocate for the addicted in the wake of the pandemic. Addicts are perhaps society’s most vulnerable, stigmatized, and under-served members. They will need help to make it through this crisis, and we regard it as our mission to make individuals and governments recognize their humanity, their pain, and their need.
The pandemic has been nothing short of a tragedy for addicted individuals around the globe. It has isolated those most in need of support. It has disproportionately infected those least equipped to struggle against it. It has broken the supply chain of illicit drugs, which puts users at greater risk of overdose. It has removed the critical medical and social support systems that had propped up the addicted.
Communities are seeing overdose deaths rise dramatically across North America, as users who are faced with shortages of the substances they need alter their habits, substitute unfamiliar drugs into their routines, or vary dosages. In British Columbia, Canada, the province’s chief health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, issued an emotional appeal for services and outreach after a record number of opioid overdoses in May. In America, all indications are that drug abuse and overdoses have significantly increased during the pandemic, with Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, Secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services, declaring that “We see very troubling signs across the nation. There’s more substance abuse, more overdoses, more domestic violence and neglect and abuse of children.” She went on to say the agency is asking for increased funding for services to treat the expected surge in demand for mental health and addiction treatment. The UK is facing the same danger, with health authorities worrying that shortages in the heroin supply will lead to increased use of fentanyl, and more fatal overdoses.
While resources have been thrown into our response to COVID-19, neglecting the mental health and addiction pandemics must not be a side-effect of our response to COVID-19. We need to put the same resources into tracking these ailments, monitoring those who suffer from them, and treating the symptoms of these diseases. And we need to explore groundbreaking new treatments, like ayahuasca and ibogaine with the same urgency as we put into developing a COVID-19 vaccine.
Silver Linings
There has never been a worse time to suffer from addiction or mental health issues. But if we can respond to these pandemics with the collective effort we’ve seen societies put forth in the fight against the virus, we can triumph over these debilitating afflictions. If you’re suffering from mental illness or addiction, we at Tabula Rasa Retreat would love to help in any way we can. Don’t hesitate to get in touch!
For further information visit www.tabularasaretreat.com or call PT +351 965 751 649 UK +44 7961 355 530