Restrictions for virus risk mental illness

THIS Government emphasises its reliance on scientific evidence for its decisions on Covid. It doesn’t actually supply the scientific evidence or even reference its sources, both of which are compulsory in any academic study.

The Government is selective in which scientific evidence it listens to. For instance, there is substantial scientific evidence that isolation leads to increased risk of suicide, sexual offending, mental illness and drug misuse.

Drugs that may be beneficial but whose side-effects are too serious to risk are not allowed to be prescribed. However, the Government has no qualms about enforcing Covid restrictions whose side-effects cause more fatalities from untreated cancer, suicides, drug abuse and mental health problems than Covid alone would if left to roam free.

Financial difficulties, social isolation and unemployment are key causes of suicide, mental health issues and drug abuse. They are also side-effects, affecting millions of people, of the Covid restrictions.

Deaths from suicide have risen in 2019. Although statistics for 2020 are lower, this is due to long delays in coroner investigations into suicides and it is likely that the actual rate of suicide is higher.

Rates of depression have doubled since Covid measures were introduced. Depression is a major cause of suicide.

Lockdown caused 57% of people to suffer anxiety and 64% to suffer depression. These are far higher than the percentages of people expected to catch Covid without any restrictions.

One in eight children (12%+) suffer from a mental illness. This will only increase with greater restrictions due to Covid.

Peter Binks, by email