COVID-19 And Mental Health
By Dr. Stella C DO
Board Certified Internal Medicine Hospitalist, Palo Alto, California
Reading Time:
2 minutes
This challenging time impacts some people more severely than others.
In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a perfect storm for poor mental health!
It has created fear, social isolation, physical distance, financial concerns, and more. Besides being fearful of getting infected, there is an added burden of rising unemployment, limited supplies of households goods, long lines at food pantries, and limited access to social and health-related services.
Researchers are attempting to quantify the pandemic’s impact on mental health
The latest study* in Suicide and Life-threatening behavior investigated suicidality and associated risk factors. Researchers took questionnaire data from 10, 368 adults in the U.S. The 20-minute survey collected information about the participants’ fears and anxieties around COVID-19, attitudes and perceptions of the coronavirus, physical and mental health, and food security.
It gathered information, about the respondents’ race, sex, and home situation, for instance, whether they live with children. The researchers embedded the Suicide Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ-R) within the questions, which assesses four elements of suicidality:
- Lifetime suicide ideation and attempts
- Frequency of suicide ideation over the last 12 months
- The threat of suicidal behavior
- Self-reported likelihood of suicidal behavior
They found that Black people, Indigenous Americans, and Hispanic people were more at risk for suicide. Another important finding is that food insecurity appears to be overwhelming circumstance that, for many, is becoming increasingly difficult to bear.
At a time when people are more likely to be physically distant from each other, it is important to be vigilant for signs that a colleague, friend, or family member is struggling.
If you or anyone you know is having thoughts of suicide, help is available:
- US: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
- Canada: Crisis Services Canada (Anglais: 1-833-456-4566; Or Send a text to 45645 (4pm-Midnight); French: 1-866-APPELLE /1-866-277-3553)
- Lebanon: Embrace_Lebanon (1564)
*How bad is it? Suicidality in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic
LAMSA’s thoughts: What about vulnerable people, minority and refugees in Lebanon?
