Mental Health Services and Covid-19

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English

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Apr 3, 2024

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Mental Health Services and Covid-19 Covid-19 has drastically changed the lives of almost everyone across the globe. Whether it has been the loss of a loved one or wearing a mask to work, Covid's impact has been felt by many. This can be expected with a total death toll of over 5 million. But Covid not only has a physical effect on our bodies but a mental effect on our minds as well. This is not as focused on because of the paranoia of contracting the virus and not wanting to become ill from it. But this paranoia is a part of the mental impact Covid has had on people across the world and needs to be prioritized in the United States. Mental health is just as important as physical health, so it needs to be treated as such. This is seen in developing children, college students, and those who self- isolate or have lost their employment because of Covid. With an increase in isolation and a decline in socialization, it is critical that better services and care are available to people who struggle with mental health. This can be done with the integration of community-based care and a value-based mental health care delivery system. First, the timeline of Covid in the United States should be reviewed. It all began with the first few cases of Covid-19 in December of 2019 in Wuhan, China. The virus eventually made its way to the United States in January, where the World Health Organization would declare Covid-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020. A few days later, President Donald Trump declared a nationwide emergency which shut down most of the country, including schools, businesses, and restaurants. In the US, there was a total of over 19 million cases and over 300,000 deaths before a vaccine was made available in December of 2020 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). As of November of 2021, there are a total of over 190 million people vaccinated in the US. Even with a vaccine and a recovering economy,

the problem of Covid’s mental impact on the country and the services available for treatment remains. The amount of resources and services for mental health care is not sufficient enough to provide treatment to all those who require it in the United States. It is a priority to seek treatment when you experience physical symptoms of Covid, but there is no attention given to the mental effects of being in isolation or trying to avoid the virus. This has been an issue since the beginning of the pandemic and is still a problem today. It impacts anyone worried about Covid and its effects on themselves or their families. These people are the ones who self-isolate and see less social interaction as a result of following Covid guidelines. Due to the worry and stress about Covid, there is an increased chance of worsening mental health issues that were present pre-Covid, as well as developing new issues with difficulty sleeping and eating or increased alcohol and substance use. With this negative impact on the mental health of many, the proper services must be available for these people to be treated. The need for increased prioritization of mental health care can be seen in groups like developing children and college students, where mental health is necessary for the development of the person and could seriously impact the overall health of the individual. Developing children are at the stage in their lives where social interaction is required. If a child is forced to be separated from their caregivers because of a Covid quarantine or even a loss of a loved one, the child might be more susceptible to mental health issues. A child needs companionship and social interaction in order to properly develop mentally. If a child is placed in isolation and cannot see their friends or family during a crucial time in the child’s development, there is an increased risk of the child developing a psychiatric disorder (Liu et al, 2020). It can also lead to issues with the attachment process if the child is only a few years old because this is the time when they develop a relationship with their parents. This shows an area of mental health care that must be improved,

as not all children will be able to receive psychiatric care because of limited resources being available. Another group whose mental health has been affected by Covid is college students. Mental health is already a topic of concern with these students, with all the stress they are under from schooling and the increase in responsibilities that come with this time in their lives. A survey has found the majority of college students experiencing increased stress and anxiety because of Covid-19. Many of the students are having a hard time concentrating and sleeping, as well as having fear of their health and the health of their loved ones (Son et al, 2020). An overall negative impact on the mental health of college students has been a result of the pandemic and there is a need to focus on this population with preventive strategies and interventions to ensure they receive mental health care. A lack of treatment can worsen the mental state of those who are in need. As in any difficult time, there is a tremendous amount of stress that has placed a mental strain on people who are trying to perform everyday activities all while trying to avoid Covid-19. This paranoia might be too much for some, which might result in self-isolation. Although this is recommended to limit the number of new cases of Covid, the World Health Organization expects this to be met with an increase in depression, anxiety, self-harm, as well as other psychological disorders. The pandemic has made it difficult for many businesses to stay open, forcing them to either temporarily or permanently shut down. In the United States along, there has been a loss in millions of jobs and an unemployment rate reaching 14.8%, per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This has forced many families to struggle, worsening any negative psychological effects that may have been present before (Kumar and Rajasekharan, 2021). This all shows that with the additional obstacles that Covid adds to the everyday struggles of life, mental health needs to be prioritized as something that requires more focus so the country can be ready to help those who require mental health care.

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