Impact of Covid 19 on Mental Health and Addiction Problems
by Hope Rehab Team
The Impact of Covid 19 Goes Way Beyond the Damage Caused by a Virus
It has been a tough couple of years. The covid 19 epidemic has impacted our world in ways that many of us just were not prepared for. As a poet once wrote about his experience in the trenches of World War I:
“It’s the waiting that’s seldom talked about;
Oh, it’s very rarely told
That most of the bravery at the front
Is just waiting in the cold.
It is not the dread of the shrapnel’s whine
That sickens a fighting soul,
But the beast in us comes out sometimes
When we’re waiting in a hole.”
Donald Sherman White – The Boys Who Live in the Ground (taken from the book ‘Songs from the Trenches‘)
The covid 19 virus is a bit like the bullets and shrapnel that killed and maimed so many in the trenches of World War I. Just like then though, it wasn’t just the tanks, bombs, and guns that caused the casualties. The experience of being in the trenches also damaged people psychologically. We see something similar happening due to the covid 19 epidemic.
Just Some of the Ways Covid 19 Has Impacted Mental Health
- Increased use of alcohol and drugs. This attempt at self-medication in response to stress and uncertainty has meant many people who previously would have been considered ‘social drinkers’ or occasional drug users have crossed the line into active addiction.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to covid-19 treatments. For example, the trauma of having to be intubated.
- The fear of catching covid-19 has meant a sharp rise in anxiety disorders (see below).
- Increased stress due to loss of employment and financial uncertainty.
- The restrictions imposed by governments to prevent the spread of covid 19 has negatively impacted the mental health of many citizens. For example, there are those who feel threatened by the loss of freedom and/or experience an increased sense of loneliness due to social distancing.
- The constant reporting of covid 19 in the news and social media has allowed it to take over people’s lives to an extent that is unhealthy.
- A proportion of those who have been infected by the virus have gone on to develop ‘long-covid’. This can include mental health issues.
The Extent of the Damage to Mental Health and Increasing Addiction Issues Due to Covid 19
It will be years before we get a fuller picture of just how much the epidemic has impacted mental health – we will probably never know the full extent of the damage. It is believed that as much as 40% of people in the US have reported symptoms of anxiety and depression . In the UK, there is believed to be as much as a 58.6% increase in the number of people drinking alcohol at a level considered ‘high risk’ .
Have You Experienced Addiction or Mental Health Issues During the Epidemic?
If you are dealing with addiction issues or symptoms related to mental health (e.g. anxiety or depression), we may be able to help. The program we provide at Hope Rehab Thailand is recognized internationally for its quality and effectiveness. We are waiting to hear from you, so just give us a call now.
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