A significant and unprecedented worsening of the Dominica’s mental health population is among the major impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, says Consultant Psychiatrist at the Acute Psychiatric Unit (APU), Dr Nadia Wallace.
As the pandemic rapidly sweeps across the world, it is inducing a considerable degree of fear, worry and concern and according to some media reports and commentators in the mental health community, we are now facing “the greatest threat to mental health since the second world war” and a potential “tsunami” of psychological problems.
In an interview with Dominica News Online (DNO), Dr Wallace said, as a result of the social consequences and the economic fallout due to Covd-19, the profound effect of mental health conditions is being recorded, not only in people with pre-existing conditions, but in new victims to the illness.
She said this year’s Mental Health Day which was observed on the October 10, 2021, under the theme “Mental Health in an Unequal World: Together We Can Make a Difference,” is of significant importance as this highlights the social injustice and inequalities that individuals with mental health conditions have to endure especially now.
“Right now with the pandemic, we have the social determinants of mental health and they have been exacerbated by the impact of the Covid-19 and because of that, we are seeing more and more people affected mentally,” she stated.
The psychiatrist continued, “There has been an increase in the number of individuals presenting mental health problems since the start of the pandemic. We are seeing an increase in the relapse rate of persons who were previously diagnosed and even people who did not suffer with mental health conditions, because of the depression that they now face from the pandemic, they themselves are now suffering with their mental health.”
She revealed that anxiety and depression are among the most frequent cases of mental health issues recorded lately and noted that since the pandemic has presented itself as a crisis of four realms– social, health, education and economic – every age group and gender is at risk of developing mental health disorder.
“As it relates to the health crisis, so many people are fearful of dying, especially people with comorbid conditions who worry that they will get sick but also with the amount of people who have died already, we have the grief associated with this,” the Consultant Physiatrist stated.
Due to the overwhelming nature of the pandemic, Dr Wallace noted that the mental health of healthcare workers is at risk because “they themselves are overworked and this too can contribute to them having or developing health problems.”
As it relates to the social crisis, she said elderly people are more susceptible due to the separation brought about by social distancing which has become the new norm.
“This is new because we’re social beings and we are used to socializing and interacting and there are so many social activities that we know and methods of distressing or relaxing but all these happenings were taken away from us because of the pandemic,” Dr. Wallace remarked…”So because of the separation this affects us, especially the elderlies whose main form of socialization for example was going to church, now people have to resort to other mediums to get that very same thing that they did when they socialized.”
She said the pandemic restrictions have caused the most severe disruption to global education in history, and according to experts, this is negatively impacting some students mentally as students are at a pivotal age where socialization, interaction, and bonding is important and with the new measures of online schooling, this is impacted.
“They no longer have the physical and emotional support that they get from their teachers and their peers. Some of them are abused at home and they endure a lot of violence and they no longer have that escape that they would have when they go to school,” the psychiatrist explained.
She said other students are affected because of their economic position, and their parents/guardians’ inability to provide the commodities for online learning.
“When it comes to the economic crisis, we have been seeing loss of jobs which have severely affected the livelihood of some people and they are unable to make ends meet or their basic needs and this is creating a serious problem for them mentally,” Dr. Wallace told DNO.
Describing mental illness as “unfavoured and not prioritized” as globally, only 2% of the national health budget goes towards mental health, the Consultant Psychiatrist said this has contributed to a very wide treatment gap in that about 75% to 95% of individuals who suffer with the illness are unable to get mental healthcare.
Dr. Wallace appealed to the government to increase their investment to address mental health issues, particularly in the face of this pandemic.
“We have the structure and there has been some improvement on that but I also believe that more could be done. Mental health has come a long way in Dominica with the help of people like Dr. Benjamin who has done a lot but much, much more is needed,” she insisted.
She recommended that mental health should be placed in the schools curriculum so from an early age there will be greater awareness with the children and teachers which will curb the ignorance of the illness in the long run.
Dr. Wallace further appealed for more technical people in the field such as clinical psychologists and suggested that these individuals can be placed at the schools to monitor students so that early interventions can occur.
“Our mental health is our responsibility,” she reminded the public. “We all need to come together and work collectively as a unit so that we can take care of our mental health…family members need to play a bigger role in ensuring that family members with mental health conditions are taken care of. Its not about the government, or the health care professionals, it’s about all of us.”
For those with mental health conditions, the psychiatrist’s message is to not suffer in silence but to seek the help needed.
Some of the “so called stress situations” can be avoided if we exercise a little more discipline in our day to day lives. For instance, don’t go purchasing stuff that you really can’t afford. This causes you to live on the edge. The slightest hiccup throws you over the cliff. Try to have a little rainy day fund. We did it in the past and we can do it again if we prioritize things.There is a big difference between need and want so let’s figure out what’s really necessary and place the rest on the back burner.
Growing up, there was no such thing as a payday loan. People did what they had to do to survive, yes life was tough but there was never all this stress that folks are experiencing today. Let’s make the lifestyle changes necessary to combat these new mental issues.
I believe that Cable TV has contributed to some of the problems we have today. We’re constantly bombarded with consumer ads which could lead us down a path of financial destruction so be aware.
“As the pandemic rapidly sweeps across the world, it is inducing a considerable degree of fear, worry and concern”. It’s not the “pandemic” doing that. It’s governments and the media. If all the other 1000+ causes of death were hyped up as much as this virus with its 1% fatality rate (0.6% with our current numbers), then people would be terrified even if there wasn’t a so called pandemic.
@make it make sense – I repeat that you are one of the posters on DNO whose eyes are open and able to see ‘through the smoke’ as to how this covid-19 pandemic is being utilized to harness and push certain narratives and agendas.
Certain narratives and agendas are being pushed through the use of WELL-ORCHESTRATED psychological warfare tactics inclusive of herd-thinking bullying tactics, media manipulation of the minds and emotions of the unsuspecting masses, the MALICIOUS threatening of peoples livelihood and continued involvement in society and the masquerading and parading of distorted science as genuine science.
“The naked truth is always better than the best-dressed lie.” (Ann Landers)
Stay tuned…
Dr Benjamin called for vaccine mandatory but he never call for a stimulus..hunger makes people get mental sickness…the dam nation need a stimulus…I pray the hungry be fed
Of course mental health issues will increase.
How can any rational person expect someone to mentally be at peace when their livelihood is being threatened if they don’t take a ‘vaccine’:
a) which does not guarantee protection from covid infection
b) which does not prevent transmission of covid
c) for which the notion that it protects against serious illness or death is still debatable considering the FACT that the majority of the unvaccinated people who got covid remained asymptomatic or exhibited mild symptoms with the majority recovering from the illness (unaided by any vaccine).
How can any rational person expect someone to mentally be at peace when that someone is being forced against their will to take a ‘vaccine’ for which no one can tell them at this time if there are or what are the potential medium-term or long-term negative health side effects of the it.
Of course mental health issues will increase.
This is the definition of HIGH-GRADE MAXIMUM EVIL.
@Dog-Channel, Your comments don’t make any sense at all, that dog and bulls**t must have been written by Ugly Lenny, for you guy! Also I am waiting for that master plan professor Lenny, has for us, or maybe he is in the black magic business???
Well many people can’t make ends meet Dr. Repossessions of items occur in broad daylight, demands from children at home are higher than pre covid days, banks are running out of patience, pay day companies are calling your cell every day, no job, no stimulus package, etc, etc,while a liar called Skerrit is living the life of Riley… So what do you expect.. Many of those going loco are probably those who voted RED.
After hurricane Maria my house was75% damaged, i did not get ONE NAIL from the corrupt cabal, while others had materials to build shade, pig pens, etc, i escaped madness just by the skin of my teeth..
I have gone through it!! Those who feel it know it!
OVERALL ITS A SAD STORY!!!
Power also affects your mental health especially when you fear going back to normal life and do not have protection of the office. One becomes increasingly paranoid thinking about gun to head, increasingly out of touch building tall walls and increase hatred of people by using police force. It is made worst if you already have psycho tendencies and studied psychology to make sense of your thoughts.
Very well stated… They only question that remains answering: why is the man so paranoid and why does he have to protect the office so vehemently, why can’t he afford to loose an election? Has he something to hide that potentially could cost him more than power? Think about it!