the impact of Covid-19 on mental health

trigger warning

COVID-19 has impacted everyone around the world in some way; whether it is through the lowered employment rates, being exposed to or infected with covid, the fear of infecting loved ones, lockdowns, non-essential services shutting down, quarantine and even shops with shorter opening hours. This year has been as unpredictable, unprecedented and unfortunate, especially for many directly affected by COVID-19. The pandemic has had such a widespread impact on economies, politics and even social laws- but what toll has this taken on people’s mental health?

In many countries, people with mental health conditions already faced stigma, mistreatment and discrimination, but during the pandemic, the situation has only worsened. A survey sent out by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in June 2020 shows that some services for MNS (Mental, Neurological and Substance Abuse Disorders) were disrupted, or unable to open during lockdowns and quarantine, in the countries that were surveyed. Many of these services were seen as unessential and unnecessary to be open during the lockdowns. However, these services are essential to those who need to be treated; MNS disorders can make the person affected more susceptible to COVID-19. In Melbourne, when the most stringent lockdown procedures were announced on the 2nd of August, the Lifeline call centre experienced a rise in calls. Understandably, the people of Melbourne were scared, anxious and worried, so they decided to seek help from Lifeline. Throughout 2020, Lifeline has seen a 25% increase in calls, originally related to the bushfires, drought, Coronavirus and other unfortunate circumstances. Since the first lockdowns in Melbourne, there has been a 22% increase in calls to Lifeline and when the stage 4 restrictions were announced, calls from Victorians went up by another 30%.

the impact of Covid- 19 on mental health

TOMASINA MODEL

Many people call believing that passing on COVID-19 is their fault if they have tested positive or that the high number of cases is their fault. Other people fear getting COVID-19 and that giving it to someone else would put many other people’s lives at risk. Many people seeking help are year 12 students who are unable to cope with their load of schoolwork and how a pandemic has affected their last year of school.

Among the young people of Victoria, there has been a 33% rise in hospitalisations due to self-harm. Increased time working and learning at home has also created higher domestic violence rates, due largely to an increase in home drinking. Sadly, the turbulent nature of the year has resulted in a higher rate of suicide, largely due to the lack of support and increased time alone for many people. Mental health is an incredibly important aspect of life for everybody it and needs to be protected and valued more than it currently is.

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed life dramatically for everyone, and many have had difficulty mentally coping with the constantly changing nature of the virus, and these issues have not been addressed properly. A more structured and inclusive mental health plan needs to be put together to increase the quality of life and to save lives.

lifeline- phone number: 13 11 14 website: www.lifeline.org.au