Long-term impacts of Covid-19 on mental illness

Long-term impacts of Covid-19 on mental illness

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is warning of a coming ‘tsunami’ of mental illness due to issues piling up through lockdown [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52676981]. 

Many people, especially children and older people, have not been able to access usual forms of support, the organisation has argued. School closure and fear of visiting hospitals means help hasn’t been available. In the College’s survey of 1,300 mental health doctors, 45% reported a fall in routine appointments being attended, while 43% had seen a rise in urgent cases. Psychiatrists fear that people don’t realise their services are still open for business.

Meanwhile, online training provided by the Zero Suicide Alliance charity to help prevent suicide has been accessed by more than 500,000 people in the UK in the last three weeks. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52702048 

“The frontline for fighting back against Covid-19 is not only in the hospitals but across all the helplines and services that provide mental wellbeing support,” says Eugene Farrell, EAPA chair.

“With EAPs open to 14 million employees and their families, the services are playing a critical role. Employees still working or furloughed need that open channel for advice, dealing with issues early and at any level, as well as being a channel that can lead to more in-depth professional counselling.

“Given the scale of the mental health challenges coming, EAPs are a key part of the national response, backing up the resources provided by the NHS and private practices. Together we can make a substantial and lasting difference to how the nation recovers and becomes stronger for the future.”