Britain is going dormant in a mental health crisis as the government struggles to deal with the massive impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Health experts and charities said to Foreman The coming winter will wipe out the mental health of the nation as uncertainty, fear, isolation and loneliness are compounded by the cooler and darker months.
In England, the Mental Health Center expected this even 10 million people – nearly a fifth of the population – will need mental health support as a direct result of Covid-19Of these, 1.5 million are projected to be children and youth under the age of 18. The impact on patients with pre-existing mental health issues and on those from more disadvantaged backgrounds, painting a bleak picture for those who already suffer.
Professor Roshan Das Nair, Clinical Psychologist from Mental Health Institute, “Very concerned” about the country’s ability to deal with the looming crisis.
“The sheer numbers of people with problems – some of whom may not be fully competent or reach the threshold of diagnosis – will escalate,” he said. “What this means for the healthcare service, when we have long waiting lists at the best of times, is a real concern. How will we deal with the increased demand in the next few months?”
Children of primary school age are especially vulnerable to anxiety, emotional and behavioral issues. Polly Witt Co-author of the Oxford University Study on Child and Adolescent Health during the Pandemic, Revealed that the number of children meeting the threshold for clinical diagnosis had increased by 35% during the pandemic.
“This is not the only number of concern,” White said. We know that children from low-income families are two and a half times more likely to have poor mental health, and this disparity has persisted throughout the lockdown. There is the domino effect: increased family pressure in the coming months about finances, jobs, social restrictions and uncertainty – all of which pose a significant risk to the emotional and mental well-being of children as well as their concerns about relationships with peers in schools, exams, and learning. ”
Talking to ForemanAnd the Shadow Health Minister Rosina Allen Khan He accused the government of being “asleep at the wheel” and played “political football” when it was categorically a cross-party issue.
My Freedom of Information request revealed that the Secretary of State had not met with a single mental health organization during the first three months [of the pandemic]. No single group is unaffected – mental ill-health affects people regardless of class, gender, race, or socioeconomic background.
Aline Khan, who also works as a doctor in the emergency department, suggested Caregiver Care Package To protect the mental health of 3 million frontline NHS and caregiver workers – a group that it was Especially prone to stress, burnout, depression and PTSD. This policy was rejected by conservatives, in a move Allen Khan described as “unreasonable”.
“People face great uncertainty for long periods of time with no coherent plan from the government regarding when they expect to see the light at the end of the tunnel – and this ambiguity creates anxiety,” she added.
In the House of Commons earlier this month, Nadine Dorries, the minister of mental health, said the government would pledge “an additional 2.3 billion pounds to fund mental health services”. However, that was short of the £ 2.6 billion required under the NHS Five-Year National Mental Health Plan, which was envisioned before the pandemic.
With the emergence of a global mental health crisis, World Health OrganizationZishon warns Depression and anxiety can increase susceptibility to infection and transmission of the virus, and affect how countries respond and recover. There is also Evidence suggests that poor mental health affects adherence to social distancing and wearing of masks, and can affect vaccine absorption.
Said Jeff Hayes, chair of health policy and influencer at the Mental Health Charity mind. “There is great concern that when hospital wards start to fill up again and Covid takes priority, patients with severe mental health will suffer.”
He wants to learn lessons from the first lockdown, when 2,500 patients with severe mental health problems stepped out in March to free space in the ward for Covid cases.
“This is an opportunity for the government to look at this relatively small group of people that we know are extremely vulnerable and provide them with a package of care. Covid has greatly affected the provision of mental health services, and suddenly there is no longer the money to do the promised things.”
The Samaritans charity has already answered more than a million calls during the pandemic, a quarter of them seeking help regarding the coronavirus. A spokesperson said that “as social restrictions and uncertainty persist, it is imperative that we take care of our mental health and others” by continuing to check on each other and share how we feel. “
Doing a good job for others, checking out neighbors and staying in touch with friends and family is proven to have powerful positive mental health benefits, combined with daily exercise and positive mental reframing – with a ‘half full cup’ approach. Professor Das Nair has recommended that a public health campaign that encourages these behaviors in the coming months will have a significant impact on reducing the prevailing sense of depression. He said, “We have to prevent people from reaching the stage where they feel ill in mental health, because doing things that are positively rewarding is really beneficial in improving people’s well-being.”
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted at 116123, Or an email [email protected] Or [email protected]
