Mental health needs more attention

Things are looking brighter in our nation, state and communities now than they did during the May 2020 observance of Mental Health Awareness Month.

The stress of the past 14 months have only made the urgency that much more clear.

Fear and uncertainty is starting to fade as more people get vaccinated against COVID-19 and reports of serious illness and death decline significantly.

As a result, officials are lifting many of the restrictions that have kept loved ones apart and made life generally miserable for so many of us for more than a year.

But one important thing that hasn’t changed is the need to focus on mental health issues. It was extremely important before the pandemic hit. The stress of the past 14 months have only made the urgency that much more clear.

The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that during the pandemic, about 4 in 10 adults in the U.S. have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder, up from 1 in 10 adults who reported these symptoms in 2019. Widely reported negative impacts included difficulty sleeping or eating, increases in alcohol consumption or substance use, and worsening chronic conditions due to worry and stress over the coronavirus. Health measures meant to contain the spread of COVID-19 and related job losses have taken a terrible toll

KFF found that 36.6% of adults in Pennsylvania reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder, compared with 37.7% of adults in the U.S. These are alarming numbers, and the impact is certain to linger in the months and years ahead even as life returns to normal.

Mental Health Awareness Month represents an important opportunity to raise these issues.

Efforts to raise awareness of the importance of mental health have gained momentum in recent years as part of a broader effort to destigmatize mental illness and improve access to the help people need. Now more than ever, it’s imperative that people not be afraid to seek help or ashamed of needing it, and that people must be aware of the signs of mental illness in their loved ones and be prepared to make sure they get the help they need. We suspect that many people who did not understand the importance of mental health issues before are able to comprehend it now.

The crisis is touching so many families. Overdose deaths in Pennsylvania rose in 2020 after two years of relatively stable numbers, something officials say is likely caused by stress and isolation

In Berks County there were 130 confirmed drug deaths in Berks in 2020 — eclipsing the previous record of 126 in 2019. The high numbers continued in the early months of 2021. And acting Coroner Jonn Hollenbach noted that deaths occurred in all but seven of the county’s municipalities. No area is immune.

It’s incumbent on all of us to watch for signs of mental illness in ourselves and in our loved ones, and to seek help as soon as possible.

The state offers a helpline at 1-855-284-2494. For TTY, dial 724-631-5600. Visit www. dhs.pa.gov/Services/MentalHealth-In-PA for a list of other available resources.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness notes that common signs of mental illness in adults and adolescents can include the following:

• Excessive worrying or fear

• Feeling excessively sad or low

• Confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning

• Extreme mood changes, including uncontrollable “highs” or feelings of euphoria

• Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger

• Avoiding friends and social activities

• Difficulties understanding or relating to other people

• Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and low energy

• Changes in eating habits such as increased hunger or lack of appetite

• Changes in sex drive

• Overuse of substances such as alcohol or drugs

We urge readers to use this month’s observance as an opportunity to consider this important issue and as a reminder to seek help if warranted. Putting it off is not an option