We may be on the verge of a mental health crisis

It is a common phenomenon to see deaths of despair rise during a recession. This is because unemployment and loss of income can be damaging to people’s mental health, which may lead to a spike in depression, alcohol and substance abuse, as well as a rise in the number of suicides.

Deaths of despair are defined as deaths to drug, alcohol, and suicide, and often associated with socioeconomic factors. Unemployment during the Great Recession (December 2007–June 2009) was associated with an increase in suicide deaths and drug overdose deaths

As I have written before, currently we are at risk of facing similar trends as those of past financial recessions. But unlike past recessions, there are more factors at play now that contribute to deteriorating mental health. With lockdowns, people are experiencing unprecedented levels of isolation. Uncertainty has not only affected the economy but also our social life.

This is why it’s not surprising that with all these factors combined, states are seeing a rise in mental health care patients or suicide attempt calls. According to Dr. Mike deBoisBlanc, Head of Trauma at John Muir Medical center, his hospital has seen a year’s worth of suicide attempts in a space of one week.

This is a national trend. There has been a significant jump in people reporting mental stress during the lockdown period.