GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — The health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t limited to respiratory problems and death.
It’s having a major impact on mental health, and as the pandemic begins to wane, we are beginning to see just how much it has affected people.
Therapists and mental health professionals across the area are seeing a huge uptick in people trying to schedule appointments. It can be hard to get in to see someone without waiting for weeks.
“People tell me routinely ‘Wow, I had the hardest time getting an appointment’,” said Charles LaTorre, a Behavioral Health Expert with Bellin Health. “Those type of things definitely tell us that there’s been a jump.”
The worldwide nature of the pandemic means it’s a problem everyone, everywhere, is experiencing.
“Usually, about one in ten of any general population at any time could be having an issue with anxiety or depression,” LaTorre explained. “I’ve seen some reports where that has jumped to four in ten.”
It’s not hard to understand why.
“The social isolation, the disruption of daily routines, the economic impact, the loss of daily interaction with people,” LaTorre listed off. “The uncertainty about how long will this go on, how long will we have to do the things that we’re doing, when will things return to what we call normal?”
Those questions and more feed into concerns LaTorre is hearing from many.
LaTorre says many people lost their coping mechanisms during the pandemic, and less-healthy alternatives may have taken their place. Alcohol and substance abuse disorders are on the rise.
For those struggling, help is available. Telemedicine is available for those concerned about wait time.
“Wanting help and asking for help doesn’t mean you’re giving up on anything,” LaTorre told WTAQ. “It means you’re refusing to give up.”
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