With the Christmas season usually being a time when people are more at risk for mental health struggles, a clinical psychotherapist has said even more intervention is needed now due to the added anxieties brought on by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Guyana-born psychotherapist, Shane Tull, who resides in the United States, said within the last few months he and his colleagues have observed an escalation in depression and anxiety among many persons as there has been an uptick in substance abuse, domestic violence and child abuse.
“They’re getting sick not just with COVID. The anxiety of COVID is frightening enough,” he said, while adding that for large groups of people the anxiety has been exacerbated by having to wear masks, social distance, and not knowing when the pandemic will be over.
He added that recognising anxiety is one thing and with the length of the pandemic, persons are at a stage where there is pandemic fatigue which is now causing them to be depressed for longer periods and they are now weary of having to comply with and stick to strict rules, like wearing masks and social distancing.
Tull noted that this is the time that intervention has to be increased. Going into the holiday season, he said, persons are now more at risk. “Probably the end of November to early January, that’s the highest time for suicide; the holidays are not the best time for people that are depressed or have mental illness,” he informed while adding that some persons have lost loved ones or even had traumatic experiences during these times and relieve those past traumas every year.
“Just think about what going into a COVID Christmas looks like. Also you have all this anxiety and you really can’t travel to see the people you love because you don’t want to expose yourself or them, which brings more anxiety and more instances of depression,” Tull indicated.
Tull, who has been in the profession for over 25 years, explained that clinical psychotherapy is more focused on engaging persons and assessing their strengths and subsequently supporting them with techniques and strategies to overcome the conflict or traumas in their lives. “The goal is really to help you to understand where the depression comes from, the root of it and how do we give you these skillsets to help you move forward in your life,” he said.
When asked who were the most vulnerable persons to mental health issues during this pandemic, Tull noted that anyone could be during these trying times but persons who are predisposed to depression, anxiety and are generally sad would be even more vulnerable.
Further, he noted that healthcare workers might be the group that might need mental health help the most. “They’re experiencing the trauma of seeing people at their worst, very sick, and think of the anxiety of them doing their very best to stay safe coupled with the fact they can’t go home to their families – that’s a lot!” he said. Additionally, he mentioned that just the fact that those persons are working in high-pressured environments like COVID-19 wards and intensive care units means they are at risk for many things that are not exactly health related. “That would constantly affect your psyche because you’re constantly worrying let’s say, about the fact that you can’t go home and see your family and so many other things.” Tull argued, while adding that they should be supported more and there should be more focus on what can be done to improve their quality of life and other things that could be done to keep them safe and make them feel supported.
‘Reach out’
Further, to tackle the many mental health issues that have now arisen or have come to light as a result of the pandemic, Tull said that people need to be more aware of those around them that may be in need. “It’s important for you to reach out to your neighbour, call out to them, and ask them how they’re doing,” he urged. He added that if individuals know of persons who have lost their jobs or have been affected economically by the pandemic, they should reach out and offer even small acts of kindness, like offering a meal or even a listening ear.
“That is how we’re going to survive, collectively, as a family, as a community. This is not an independent task, this is an interdependent time. Just like if I’m wearing a mask I’m protecting you and me, it’s incumbent upon me if I look out for the people around me,” he emphasised.
The psychotherapist also stressed the importance of those persons who need help to be able to reach out and say that they need help and that the community should be readily available to assist in whatever way it can. “It’s hard enough people have lost their jobs and some even their homes. We need to create spaces and policies to help them in this time of crisis. We need to give people what they need to survive.”
He added, “Public health and public policies cannot address all the problems… but it’s going to take you and I if you’re living in a neighborhood to just do some random acts of kindness, the kinds of things that we don’t normally think about, we really need to do that.”
It was highlighted by the psychotherapist that this is the stage where people come together and think of each other and the persons that are less fortunate and being less fortunate does not mean that someone just needs food stuff and other things, they may just need someone to talk to. “Your friends that act like they got this all together, those are the ones you should be concerned about, too, because the people that act strong, they’re not always strong,” Tull warned. When asked about the best approach to take while reaching out to those “strong friends,” he advised that it is best to encourage them to open up and have honest conversations.
“That’s the other thing with mental health, people are like, ‘Oh I don’t wanna mind people business’ and all that but you have to ask, if you feel your friend is in danger, they’re in danger.” He acknowledged that you have to sometimes take a somewhat confrontational approach and ask them what you can do to help them and just be there for them.
