While research suggests pandemic restrictions may adversely impact the mental health of many Australians, not necessarily long-term, a new study has found the impacts are worse for those already experiencing mental illness.
The Black Dog Institute of Australia conducted a review into the ramifications of COVID-19 on Australians concluding people with pre-existing mental health conditions are at significant risk of experiencing higher levels of anxiety and distress during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Being placed into quarantine has been found to cause long-term negative psychological effects and the review found as many as a quarter of people in quarantine already had trauma-related health problems.
An article published in collaboration with experts at UNSW revealed one in four people with self-reported pre-existing mental health issues have been found to have higher levels of anxiety, depression, distress, and higher levels of worry about them or their loved ones contracted COVID-19.
Convenor for the Canberra Mental Health Forum Rosslyn Williams said the current lockdown in the ACT is having a huge impact on Canberrans with pre-existing mental illness.
“I’ve heard reports of people with pre-existing mental illnesses their depression and general level of anxiety becoming increasingly worse,” Ms Williams said.
“Generally, we don’t find the government mental health services terribly good and the adult mental health unit is full at the moment, so it’s difficult for people to get timely help.”
She explains that for people currently admitted in mental health facilities the visitor restrictions are having a massive impact on patients.
“We understand why it has to happen but it means that family members can’t have the same level of contact with them and for some people in rehab programs where they could usually go out for short amounts of time have been shut down for safety,” she said.
“Some patients don’t have access to their mobile phones or email which is really awful and they feel as though they’re almost in prison.”
Ms Willams said she doesn’t believe the ACT government is doing enough to support people with pre-existing mental health conditions and they need extra help right now, not less.
Chief Executive Officer of Mental Illness Education ACT Heidi Prowse said since the commencement of the pandemic last year the mental health sector have been carrying a heavy burden.
She said there’s a significant increase in need and her own organisation have been delivering three and a half times the amount of services in the past year compared to the 12 months prior to 2021.
“One of the main challenges is whether a person with pre-existing mental health conditions had an established routine before lockdown that they are unable to continue with the current restrictions in place,” Ms Prowse said.
“Another issue impacting people’s lives is the ability to access clinical support if their experiences are exacerbated.”
She explains for people with social anxiety, their thoughts associated with the lockdown experience may create an environment where they prefer to stay at home therefore exacerbating their condition.
ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said health services are working hard to treat acute mental health needs yet announced earlier this week that patients at the Calvary Public Health mental health ward are being relocated to make room for a COVID-19 specialist respiratory ward in case the Canberra outbreak increases.
Ms Prowse said it’s a difficult situation and the temporary relocation needs to be appropriate and in consultation with the mental health patients themselves on the best way to conduct the move.
“Obviously we need to be prepared for a larger outbreak but we need to be careful that it isn’t impacting on people with mental illnesses.” She said.
Mental Illness Education ACT are hosting a free online course during the current lockdown with new sessions loaded each week and have also set up support for young people to build their own stress response plan online.
Here’s how to access the support:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/mental-illness-education-act-mieact-2126297619
https://mieact.org.au/stress-and-me/
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