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The physical toll of coronavirus has been massive: The deaths of tens of thousands in America and a worldwide six-figure death toll.
The toll on our mental health is without quantification, but it is real. The worry of catching the virus, the worry of death for themselves and their loved ones, and for those who haven’t caught the virus, the worry of finding their next paycheck after the partial closure of the economy to keep people safe.
“It’s the loss of control. We humans crave control in every aspect of our lives. This thing has really caught us off guard. We don’t know much about this virus in the first place (or) how long this is going to last. We’ve lost control over many of our choices,” explained Dr. David Cipriano, a psychologist at the Medical College of Wisconsin during the WTMJ Cares Town Hall on Tuesday.
Additionally, many people in underserved communities such as minorities and the working poor are finding things worse – not only in having larger percentages of cases and deaths, but even greater levels of anxiety and depression.
“Living in an underserved community can pose many, many challenges,” said Dr. Joni Williams, a public health expert with the Medical College of Wisconsin.
“Social determinants of health…factors or conditions, whether social, economic or physical, where people are born, where we live, where we work, where we worship that can impact our health and health outcomes.”
She explained that many have not been able to acknowledge or identify issues that are necessary to solve for those underserved communities:
– “Working multiple jobs increasing the likelihood to exposure to the virus…where wages are lower or benefits (may not be there), that can increase stress.
– “Substandard housing…that can cause a problem with physical distancing, where that may not be feasible.
– “Unhealthy living environments…poverty..those types of stress can lead to chronic disease.”
Additionally, there is the simple feeling of being alone, especially because someone who lives alone is isolated due to stay-at-home directives.
“It’s the social isolation, just the disruption of their life. We’ve been hit by all this anxiety and stress. Because of social distancing, we’ve been robbed of our typical coping strategies…go to the gym, go out and have a beer with a friend after work, attend worship services…those things have been taken away from us,” said Dr. Cipriano.
But there are ways to do something about it if you have technology at your disposal. It may not be the same as in-person, but phone or video conversations can help.
“There is a difference between physically distancing yourself and social isolation. A lot of individuals are interpreting distancing and social isolation,” added Dr. Williams.
“We’ve found out a number of ways to combat social isolation.”
