The Global Mental Breakdown – A much deadlier pandemic that is overtaking the world

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

COVID-19 has provided our world with some firsts: it is the first global pandemic of the social media age, and it is the first of the alternative stories era, occurring at a time when politics and society are in a state of flux. With everything that is going on, it is no wonder that our world is slowly going crazy. It is why mental health discussions are of utmost importance. The WHO estimates that the economic loss due to mental health challenges could be about 1.03 trillion between the years of 2012-2030.

Researchers found that one in five adults developed pandemic-related mental disorders. The individuals most impacted by mental health issues were infected/recovered individuals (30%), followed by healthcare providers (20%), adults in the community (16%), and quarantined adults (12%).

What is causing such a rise in mental health challenges? Devora Kestel, (Director of the World Health Organization’s Mental Health Department), presented information that many of us know, but it is still worth mentioning. She stated that it was: the isolation, the fear, the uncertainty, the economic turmoil – they are all causes for psychological distress.

The mental health and well-being of global societies have been severely impacted by this crisis and are a priority to be addressed urgently. Reports have highlighted several regions and sections of societies as vulnerable to mental distress. These sections include: children and young people isolated from friends and school, and healthcare workers who are seeing thousands of patients infected with and dying from the coronavirus.

Everyday, there are emerging studies and surveys that show COVID-19’s impact on mental health globally. What I wanted to do with this article is present information from all over the globe, showing just how devastating this pandemic has been, not to our physical health, but to our mental health.

Rates of suicides, overdoses, and poor mental health are popping up all over the world, not just in North America. What was interesting, was the trend that I observed during my research. The information presented separately is impactful, but when you see numbers collectively, a different picture is painted; a picture that if used as a Rorschach inkblot test, could only be interpreted in a negative way.

Hispanic and Caribbean Regions
The Afro-Caribbean and Hispanic communities are communal in nature, so the physical distancing has had devastating effects on how these communities live their day-to-day lives. According to a study put out at Cambridge.Org, more than 900,000 older adults will not be able to participate in government-run programs aimed to facilitate physical and mental health. This reduction of mobility and not being able to go to social and cultural activities has had a direct impact on their physical and mental well-being.

It was also found that patients with Alzheimer dementia and other dementia disorders are at higher risk to suffer from social isolation and the related stress that comes with living through this pandemic. Individuals with AD have lower stress coping abilities, and are facing difficulties adjusting to changes in their routine caused by social isolation and restrictions.

A fact that cannot go understated is the impact that this has on the caregivers of those individuals suffering with mental health challenges. Due to the closedown of local supporting services, caregivers have experienced increased physical and emotional overload. Although this was observed in Caribbean and Hispanic countries, that fact remains true on a global scale.

United Kingdom
I found research that highlighted what was occurring with young people in the UK. In a study presented on Mental Health.org, teenager’s mental health appears to be under severe pressure as the pandemic continues.

The report was released on January 31^st, 2021, and it found that 27% of British teenagers said they felt nervous, anxious, or on the edge most or nearly all the time. 26% of the teenagers surveyed said they had trouble concentrating on things like schoolwork, reading and watching TV. Across all the teenagers surveyed in this study, their rating of their own mental health has worsened over the course of the pandemic.

Hindu Times put out an article detailing how mental health of Indians in the UK had been hit hard during the pandemic. The study found that mental health deteriorated across most ethnic groups during lockdown but was most marked in the Indian group. Money worries and savings seemed to be the dominating factors behind the mental well-being impact. Most ethnic minorities in the UK also tend to work in more precarious jobs, including on the frontlines in hospital wards, making them more vulnerable to burnout, and stress.

Africa
There was no way that I could tackle this entire continent, so I focused on some interesting studies found in Uganda and South Africa.

Here is an interesting fact; there is only one trained psychiatrist for every one million Ugandans. With an estimated nine million Ugandans dealing with a mental health issue, the majority of whom remain undiagnosed and untreated; it is predicted that this number will rise exponentially with this on-going pandemic (All Africa.com).

The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) reports that they have never experienced such a surge in clients (Iol.co.za). Call volumes have more than doubled during the lockdown, with anxious and depressed South Africans seeking help desperately.

Although we all ushered in the New Year with hopes of better times, the promise of the New Year hasn’t eased worries and fears. SADAG reported that a large number of these calls have been from people contemplating suicide because of the extended period of loneliness and isolation during the lockdown. SADAG conducted a survey that found two-thirds of South Africans said their mental health worsened during lockdown, and some experienced suicidal thoughts.

Portugal
A lot of the same mental health challenges that have popped up in the countries noted earlier in this article, have also been found in Portugal. A great many citizens in Portugal have had to cope with COVID related stress, anxiety, loneliness, fear, depression, and anger.

Some other symptoms reported included: changes in appetite, energy and interests. Some people are having difficulty concentrating, making decisions or sleeping. Headaches, body pains, stomach problems and skin rashes are among the physical reactions to worsening mental conditions (Portuguese American Journal).

According to a leading Portuguese psychologist, Francisco Miranda Rodrigues, there are only 2.5 mental health professionals per 100,000 people in Portugal.

Australia
The mental health of three out of four Australians has been affected by COVID-19 as concern for the future, stress and anxiety remains a silent killer (SMH.com). 40% say that they feel uncertain about the future, a third feel stressed out, and 27% say they feel more anxious during the pandemic. What is unfortunate is that a fifth of those experiencing mental health symptoms said they did not seek support. The stigma seems to have been the barrier.

Japan
The most disturbing statistics came out of Japan. Far more Japanese people are dying of suicide, likely exacerbated by the economic and social repercussions of the pandemic. What is interesting is that Japan has managed its coronavirus epidemic far better than many nations, keeping deaths below 2,000 nationwide, provisional statistics from the National Police Agency show suicides surged to 2,153 in October alone, marking the fourth straight month of increase (Japan Times). To date, more than 17,000 people have taken their own lives this year in Japan. October self-inflicted deaths were up 600 year on year, with female suicides, about a third of the total, surging over 80%.

Now, I was only able to visit a few countries, and I can imagine that if I had kept going, I would have found very similar data and reports.

This leads us to a very important question; what are we going to do about it? How are we going to heal the world? Future research will be needed to better understand the short and long-term psychological impact of the current pandemic in our societies globally.

The mental health effects of COVID-19 can shape health for many years, long past the events that precipitated them. Our global leaders have been focusing on saving lives and mitigating the short-term consequences of COVID-19, but the long-term consequences may be equally, if not more, important.

While it can be difficult to look past the immediate moments that we are facing, it is necessary, if we are to ensure the steps we take now are in the best interest of public health. It is now time for our global leaders to move from one of response to one of recovery.