Covid-19 lockdowns portend a mental health disaster

A private security guard wearing a face mask stands next to closed stores in the fashion district in downtown Los Angeles, the US, on April 2 2020. Picture: AFP/APU GOMESThe coronavirus pandemic has plunged the world into uncharted territory, leaving people feeling helpless in the face of an invisible threat of unknown duration that could infect any of us.

“The only thing that we've experienced in the US that's come close to this pandemic is 9/11,” Lott said. There has also been an increase in the number of calls to suicide hotlines, though no statistics are available yet, added the psychotherapist, whose organisation represents 32,000 mental health professionals.

She said therapists, who have had to shift sessions online amid infection concerns, are being extra vigilant to keep a close watch on vulnerable clients and are using social media to share resources and guidance. Limiting exposure to the grim news on television and social media is another way to soothe the nerves, therapists say.

“I'm hoping that when this is all done that the positive outcome will be that we're just a little more evolved emotionally and psychologically.”

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