Australia’s mental health system will need to be prepared to deal with long-term mental health issues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was the message from Professor Richard Bryant AC, UNSW Sydney Scientia Professor, delivered when he launched this year’s Australian Mental Health Prize today via an online forum.
The prize, now in its fifth year, recognises Australians who have made outstanding contributions to the promotion of mental health or the prevention and treatment of mental illness.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is causing unprecedented pressures on people around the world. Apart from the anxieties of infection, people are experiencing considerable stress arising from changes to work structure, unemployment, financial pressures, schooling, concern for family and the elderly, and social isolation,” Professor Bryant said.
“Prior pandemics such as SARS have shown that mental health issues spike during the outbreak, and more worryingly, can lead to longer-term problems well beyond the pandemic itself,” Professor Bryant explained.
“We need to remember that the hidden threat from COVID-19 is the long-term mental health effects resulting from economic downturns, with many people losing jobs, reduced income, and suffering poor financial security.
“These pandemics also highlight there are some groups who are especially vulnerable to mental health problems during and after a pandemic, including health workers, those in quarantine, and those infected.”
Professor Bryant said that many strategies can be employed to manage mental health in the context of COVID-19.
“It is important to note that many of the stress reactions many of us experience during the pandemic are not necessarily a mental disorder but rather reflect understandable stress reactions to a severe situation. In this sense, many of the strategies that can be used at this time are those used to help people cope with ongoing stressors rather than mental disorders.”
Professor Bryant pointed out that the spike in mental health issues arising from the COVID-19 crisis will also require new strategies and treatment formats.
“Health systems are being developed and implemented around the world to try to provide mental health services to hugely increased numbers of people. These services need to adopt innovative treatment formats to accommodate social distancing, potentially large numbers of people requiring help, and targeting people who traditionally do not seek mental health assistance.”
Scientia Professor Henry Brodaty from UNSW Medicine agrees with Professor Bryant’s
