An Invisible Epidemic

August 2, 2021

An invisible epidemic

We have all seen recent news reports of airline passengers behaving oddly or people acting out in public with less patience than would otherwise be consistent with societal norms. What’s behind this? Are these incidents isolated and just now getting more attention in the media, and is some of this going on in the workplace too?

The trending narrative of how people have handled life during the pandemic is now well known. The closing of businesses and absence of the arts, entertainment, restaurants, and bars has impacted everyone in many different ways.

Dr. Joshua Gordon, director of the National Institutes of Mental Health at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) offered some interesting perspectives on the subject. In his April 9 Director’s Message, he shared the following:

"From prior research on disasters and epidemics we mostly knew what to expect. In the immediate wake of a traumatic experience, large numbers of affected people report distress, including new or worsening symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia. ... It seems that much of what we have learned from past disasters and epidemics is holding true in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several surveys, including those collected by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), have shown substantial increases in self-reported behavioral health symptoms. According to one CDC report, which surveyed adults across the U.S. in late June of 2020, respondents reported that in the last 30 days:

31%

Symptoms of anxiety

or depression

13%

Having started or

increased substance use

26%

Stress-related symptoms

11%

Having serious thoughts of suicide

"These numbers are nearly double the rates we would have expected before the pandemic. As in prior studies, this survey showed that risk factors for reporting anxiety symptoms or suicidal ideation included food insufficiency, financial concerns, and loneliness."

He concludes that, “Indeed, the pandemic has raised awareness of mental health symptoms and service needs. Crisis intervention services such as SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990) and the Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741) reported substantial increases in volume early in the pandemic, reflecting anxiety and distress brought on by COVID-19’s many uncertainties. And although data indicate the volume of mental health and suicide risk visits to emergency departments initially dropped when states issued stay-at-home orders, these visits increased again after stay-at-home restrictions were lifted.”

Employees spend half of each day engaged with their employer. This is something to monitor, observe, and direct people to helpful resources when circumstances warrant actions.

Uniquely Delaware

Delaware's is ranked 10th for mental health prevalence and access to care

The State Of Mental Health In America report by Mental Health America collects data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia to help address issues related to mental health and substance use. An overall ranking 1-10 indicates lower prevalence of mental illness and higher rates of access to care. View report >

News You Can Use

This week kicks off on Monday with construction spending data for June and July motor vehicle sales on Tuesday. The ADP employment report for July will be released on Wednesday. June trade deficit will be released on Thursday. We conclude the week with a busy Friday with nonfarm payrolls, unemployment rates, and average hourly earnings for July and the consumer credit report for June.

Michael J. Quaranta

President

Delaware State Chamber of Commerce

Lindo Family Health & Wellness Care offers primary care services, focused on disease prevention, health promotion, patient education, medical counseling, diagnosing, and managing chronic illnesses.