Sleepless Nights, Hair Loss And Cracked Teeth: Pandemic Stress Takes Its Toll
October 15, 2020“The mental health component of COVID is starting to come like a tsunami,” says Dr. Jennifer Love, a California-based psychiatrist and co-author of an upcoming book on how to heal from chronic stress.
Although symptoms of chronic stress are often dismissed as being in one’s head, the pain is real, says Kate Harkness, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at Queen’s University in Ontario.
“When the body feels unsafe — whether it’s a physical threat of attack or a psychological fear of losing a job or catching a disease — the brain signals adrenal glands to pump stress hormones.
more » Read MoreDoctors are killing themselves, and who is taking notice?
COURTNEY MARKHAM-ABEDI, MD implores us to: “partner with me and advocate for the ability for doctors and residents in our profession to receive medical and psychiatric care without fear of losing our licenses or having to face stigma and judgment. It can save lives. Please, we are more stressed than ever, and we need to speak the names of our fellow friends and colleagues who have died by suicide. We need to advocate for them and for all of us to have access unfettered by fear to utilize the very lifesaving treatments we recommend to our patients.”
more » Read MoreHonoring World Mental Health Day – Five Favorite Coping Skills
Dr. Laurie Santos is a Professor of Psychology at Yale University and teaches the science of wellbeing. This YouTube video highlights her favorite coping tips.
more » Read MoreGovernor Newsom Signs Bills to Expand Access to Quality Behavioral Health Care for all Californians
Governor Gavin Newsom signed bills to “improve access to quality mental health and substance use disorder services for all Californians, as well as measures that help homeless Californians suffering from behavioral health challenges access the help they need.
One of the Senate bills signed by Governor Newsom is SB 803 by Senator Jim Beall (D-San Jose). This bill will develop “statewide standards for behavioral health Peer Support Specialists and adds these services as an option in Medi-Cal. Peer Support Specialists are people with lived experience with mental health and/or substance use disorders and are in a unique position to earn trust and build bridges for people on the path to recovery.
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