A review of Covid-19 pandemic, Mental Health and Suicide

Hi there!

It has been said that 'human disasters come in all shapes and sizes including wars, terrorist violence, natural events, economic recessions and depressions as well as infection' (Devitt, 2020).                  2020, and so far into 2021, it is the latter scourge that has negatively impacted our world. 

Although some countries like India are still being ravaged by this dreadful virus, some people may be profoundly grateful that their own lives may be heading towards some degree of ease from lockdown pressures. However, we pray for the many globally who are still suffering at this time.

Imminently, the world will be celebrating Mental Health Awareness Week from 10 - 16 May 2021. For this reason, this month I would like for us to take some time together to reflect on the relationship between the pandemic, mental health and suicide. As human beings, we are always prone to disasters and troublesome situations which, in general, can have an adverse effect on our mental health, and if severe enough, impairment of mental health can lead to suicide.

It is now generally accepted that the presence of mental illness is a major factor but not the exclusive factor in the incidence of suicide. But what provokes an individual to engage in an act of suicide on any given date and time is a complex issue. It is likely that such a decision and act comprises ‘a perfect storm’ of personal, social and cultural factors, which include 'the presence of mental illness, perhaps a genetic pre-disposition, family history, certain personality traits (such as impulsivity), the availability of means, the abuse of alcohol or other substances, and a recent insoluble predicament' (Pridmore, 2010). 

The prolonged pandemic climate has been a major predicament for many. The restrictive pressures of  Draconic lockdowns to mitigate effects on healthcare systems, economic recession leading to lost employment and businesses, the accompanying isolation of home-working (sometimes in a domestically abusive environment), more opportunities to abuse substances and increase probability of addiction, bereavement and so many other adverse events which have decimated normality from our, what now seems, routine lives, have affected many persons' mental health to the point of hopelessness. 

Suicidal behaviour often increases demands on the Mental Health services. As a result, during the pandemic, it is possible that many who would normally seek help from medical clinics for depression and other forms of mental illness would avoid attending scheduled sessions to reduce the risk of flooding the already overstretched medical teams, or contracting the viral infection, or maybe some would have been told by a centralised service to seek help from local community mental health services, an option which may be laced with stigma for some persons. 

So how can support be focused? The after and side effects of this pandemic have to be monitored carefully, particularly in the area of mental health. Of all the current challenges presented by COVID-19, economic recession appears most toxic, drastically affecting the lives of many persons. Job loss coupled with isolation as a result from being at home due to the pandemic can severely distress mental health. It is therefore important to ensure some form of protective barrier around those who fall into this vulnerable group and who may be expected to experience an increase in suicidal ideation and behaviour.  

Some groups may be more vulnerable than others to post traumatic stress also leading to suicidal ideation and behaviours. Strict long-term measures must be in place from a governmental level to ensure that another type of pandemic, that is, mental illness, does not spill out and flood the globe.

Until

Jo-Ann

Coping with uncertainty.

Hi there!

Trust you have had a good month! 

Lately, I have been ruminating on how wonderful it would be to enjoy the freedom of sitting in my favourite coffee shop and enjoying quality time with a good book or conversations with my favourite people. The lockdown and ensuing restrictions have been playing havoc with the mental state of many.  

Mental stimulation plays a vital role in keeping our mood / emotions stable. The pandemic has placed us in a state of uncertainty where routine things are now not clearly identified or defined. We do not know how much of our 'norm' will return and we are certainly unclear at this stage as to what the 'new norm' will look like. 

The reality about the nature of uncertainty is that, as a notion, it is fundamentally a mental state; a subjective, cognitive experience of human beings rather than a feature of the objective, material world. Associated with the experience of uncertainty is ignorance, that is, the lack of knowledge. Importantly, uncertainty is not equivalent to mere ignorance; rather, uncertainty is the conscious awareness, or subjective experience of ignorance. According to Lipshitz and Strauss (1997), there are three types of uncertainty: inadequate understanding, incomplete information, and undifferentiated alternatives. 

So how do we cope with uncertainty? 

Lipshitz and Strauss (1997) applied five strategies of coping: reducing uncertainty, assumption-based reasoning, weighing pros and cons of competing alternatives, suppressing uncertainty, and forestalling. Inadequate understanding was primarily managed by reduction of uncertainty, incomplete information was primarily managed by assumption-based reasoning, and conflict among alternatives was primarily managed by weighing pros and cons.

The last year, 2020, and most of 2021 so far, has left many people feeling discombobulated due to changed home and workplace routines, social and employment status and engagements, even our spiritual lives are affected. Unless we are aware of our ignorance, it is unlikely to influence our thoughts, feelings, or actions. That is, we can influence our behaviours if we are aware that we lack knowledge. We do not have to get in a rut. We do not have to give in to unwanted emotions. If there is something missing or potentially missing in our lives and if we want to change that, we can do something about it by applying the model above. 

Uncertainty can mean a platform for doing things you have never done before whilst stabilising your environment and mood at the sane time. If you require counselling support to deal with uncertainty, make an appointment via our website www.gcls.co.uk.

Until,

Jo-Ann

A solution focused method to prevent depression

 Hi

Trust you are keeping well as we begin to see some signs of positive change, at least for some, in this pandemic period.

I am wondering if you have ever struggled to reach a solution for a problem that just seems to persist? Whether it's a personal or professional problem, a relationship challenge or a goal that just keeps slipping no matter how hard you try to make it happen! Trying to work out what to do may have kept you awake many nights, maybe even causing you to experience depression.

Because of the large number of people who have been experiencing depression during the pandemic and because of depression's potential seriousness, it is important to investigate possible effective preventative measures. As a counsellor, one of the areas I focus on is Solution-focussed Brief Therapy (SFBT). The therapeutic focus of SFBT is future oriented, specifically based on the client’s expressed aims or goals. In other words, I am told what problem area(s) the client needs help with, and together we work towards a solution. 

The process involves me asking questions designed to enable clients to visualize in detail their desired results, and identification of the client's strengths (do they have the capability and capacity to reach the goal?), resources (eg. money, materials, staff) and times when the problem is not in evidence. The latter is important because it is a barrier to progress and needs to be avoided.

At the end of a session, I would compliment the client based on what has emerged from our discussion and I will set homework which may involve asking the client to do more of what is already working, and less of what is not working towards the desired solution.

I hope this is helpful and I am available to help you reach a solution to a problem which you have been struggling with during the pandemic, or even earlier.

Until

Jo-Ann