Depression & PTSD are in the Shadows of COVID-19
Depression & PTSD are in the shadows of COVID-19 and are beginning to peek out from those shadows alongside anxiety and addiction.
“An alarming one in four American workers screened positive for PTSD between September 2021 and December 2021 — up 54% over the previous three months and up 136% from pre-pandemic times.”
COVID-19 continues toward becoming an endemic, and a level of normalcy is achieved. We must begin to focus on the long-term impact the last several years have had on society. Many health concerns are starting to emerge from long COVID and the lifestyles we have had to live.
One of the most considerable challenges with mental health is that you cannot see it. When you pass someone on the street, underneath that smile could be someone struggling. For way too long, society hides mental health battles that must end.
We must normalize talking about our mental health.
There is no short-term solution to solving any health crisis. Mental health conditions may require some of the most significant changes. Not only must we normalize talking about our mental health, but we must identify resources and ways to provide mental health support to all.
I am a big believer in the use of innovation in healthcare to empower both payers, patients, and providers to take control of their health and connect the dots with what is truly going on. Using innovation can help get care when and where the patient feels most comfortable.
The innovation does not have to be fancy; it does not need many bells and whistles. What it does require is:
- A strong user experience
- Clinical utility
- The ability to engage the end user
- Defined key performance indicators
- To provide access to internal or external crisis support
As research continues to grow, the ability to predict mental health crises before they happen will be critical to achieving proactive quality care.
However, we must be careful in how we approach mental health innovation. If innovators go too big, they risk worsening the stigma associated with mental health.