Practitioners offer advice for those reeling from effects of ongoing pandemic

Worry about COVID-19 has been taking a toll on nearly everyone's mental and emotional health to some degree, local experts say.

“Virtually everyone has been affected by isolation during the lockdowns and many people have been adversely affected by losing their jobs or having to give them up to take care of family members,” explained Melissa Vitale, a mental health nurse practitioner with Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.

“And when it comes to young adults, a June 2020 CDC study revealed that one in four had even considered suicide due to the pandemic and its restrictions,” she continued. “The depths of despair that young adults, in particular, have been silently enduring is alarming.”

Prior to the pandemic (in 2019), 8.1 percent of adults over 18 had symptoms of an anxiety disorder; 6.5 percent had depressive symptoms.

But CDC survey results from early December 2021 showed that nationally, 26.5 percent of all adults over 18 had been experiencing symptoms of anxiety. Young adults between 18 and 29 were disproportionately impacted, as were women.

During this same time period, 21.4 percent of all adults nationally experienced symptoms of depression. Once again, depression was most often seen in the 18 to 29 age group and while the number of women displaying symptoms was larger than the number of men, there was only a slight difference this time.

“We need to do better at measuring silent suffering,” Vitale said.

The disruption the lockdowns have caused to children is also alarming, resulting in behavior disturbances and learning problems since, for instance, teaching a child to read over Zoom is not a simple matter.

Every age range seems to have had its own unique COVID mental health challenges, said Marie Kurnick, manager of outpatient & case management services at Northwest Community Healthcare. Elderly people are depressed and fearful because they know that they are at high risk if they contract the disease. Many of those in their 40s and 50s who work in “non-laptop” jobs have lost their jobs and now suffer from severe financial anxiety and stress.

Young adults have had trouble with their mental health because they are unable to socialize with others their own age and move forward with their lives, leading many to dabble in illicit drugs. College students are having important milestones like leaving home disrupted. Children are increasingly missing developmental milestones in terms of cognition, speech and motor abilities because they are missing in-person school. And women of all ages have taken a big hit because many of them need to stay home and supervise children.

Dr. Susan Colegrove, a psychiatrist with Duly Health and Care's Romeoville office, specializes in treating adolescents, an age group that has been experiencing high rates of depression and anxiety across the board during the COVID epidemic.

“We are seeing increases in school avoidance, suicide and substance use, partly due to the fact that they have been isolated and are not experiencing any normal structure in their lives,” she explained. “This is very damaging because these are the formative years when they are learning to be more independent and today's teens are missing much of that and are also being bombarded by the tension and conflicts that have been permeating their families.”

“Before the omicron variant hit, the teens were starting to feel some semblance of normal again. But now, they are feeling the whiplash of omicron and it has been increasingly difficult for them to maintain their mental health,” Dr. Colegrove explained.

“I believe that some of this will subside once COVID is fully over, but while we are in its midst, we cannot ignore people's worries. We need to encourage the young people we know to talk about how they are feeling and seek support where they can get it. In my practice, I am seeing both established and new patients who need my help to deal with the disruptions they are experiencing in their lives,” she said.

“I suggest to my young patients that they focus on the things that they CAN do, not the things which are prohibited currently; try to maintain a positive mindset; videochat with friends and family often to stay in touch; stay active; and try to maintain a normal schedule by getting up around the same time every day and getting dressed like they would for school,” Dr. Colegrove continued.

“We have seen COVID affect people in many different ways,” said Vitale. “Some are very fearful. Others are angry because they don't believe it is real and don't want to wear masks. It has been a rough couple of years for everyone and often we are seeing people within families having different views on COVID and it is causing rifts.”

Kurnick said, however, she is now seeing less dread of the illness itself and more anger about how it is impacting people's lives, work lives, parenting and socializing. After two years, people are just tired of it.

“We are also now seeing people who are angry that they once again could not see family over the holidays,” Vitale added.

“We find ourselves once again trying to identify activities that will help our patients cope like FaceTiming with family, walking their dogs, exercising, getting into a routine, throwing themselves into projects and seeking out a professional if they feel they need help,” she said.

“And I regularly suggest that people become engaged virtually with their church group or an Alcoholics Anonymous 12-Step group or some other support group — even if it is on Facebook,” Kurnick said.

“COVID is constantly changing so we all need to find tools to help us navigate those changes with more ease. We need to find acceptance of the situation in which we all find ourselves,” she continued.

Northwest Community Hospital offers free mental health assessments either in-person or over the phone. For more information, phone 847-HEA-LING.

Duly Health and Care's Institute for Personal Development also offers mental health services. Call (815) 942-6323 to make an appointment at one of many locations.

“If you delay seeking help, your mental health issues could become more severe. So don't stay home, just getting sicker. Reach out to see or talk to someone,” Kurnick urged.