America’s Mental Health Crisis is Exploding During the Coronavirus Pandemic

America’s Mental Health Crisis is Exploding During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Posted on Jun 19 2020
Courier Newsroom
NAMI mentioned

In the June 4-9 survey, which polled more than 83,000 respondents, nearly half (49%) of Americans between the ages of 18-29 exhibited symptoms of anxiety or depression. Women, Black and Latino Americans, and those without a bachelor’s degree were also far more likely to display symptoms of depression or anxiety. Dawn Brown, director of community engagement at NAMI, wasn’t surprised by this disparity. “I think the stressors of COVID-19 are affecting those marginalized communities more than people who are affluent and can work from home,” Brown said. NAMI has seen a dramatic increase in overall call volume to its helpline this year compared to the same time in 2019, Brown said. “A lot of our callers don’t have a diagnosis of a mental illness, but they are experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety, so [COVID-19 is] actually creating symptoms in people otherwise not affected by mental health conditions.”