As Michigan institutes new orders to try to contain the spread of COVID-19, some organizations are sounding the alarm about the toll taken on mental health. | Pixabay
As Michigan institutes new orders to try to contain the spread of COVID-19, some organizations are sounding the alarm about the toll taken on mental health. | Pixabay
Given the understated negative impact of the shutdown on children and adults, state governments could take into account the unintended consequences as they make COVID-19-related decisions moving forward.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued a lockdown order on Nov. 15 as the coronavirus surged once again throughout the nation, creating a number of hot spots. The new order is in place for at least three weeks, tightening restrictions on public gatherings and imposing greater restrictions on state businesses, Michigan Capitol Confidential reported.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a number of other organizations have researched and documented the mental health impact imposed by the lockdowns since March. They have been summarized in a report by the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER).
Michigan Capitol Confidential reported on a number of the alarming findings, which included that 40% of adults were struggling with mental health and substance abuse in June. In August, the CDC found the number of adults experiencing thoughts of suicide had increased from 4.3% in 2018 to 10.7%. Approximately a quarter of the nation aged 18 to 24 has contemplated suicide, said an August report. In November, the CDC released a report indicating emergency room visits related to mental health in children ages 5 to 11 were up 24%, and ER visits were up 31% for those aged 12 to 17.
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) also weighed in, reporting in November that 24.2 million children aged 5 to 11 were enrolled in schools that closed due to the pandemic. Life expectancy will be impacted for those affected, according to JAMA. In addition, the journal found breast cancer diagnoses fell 51.8% compared to 2018.
“In the debate over coronavirus policy, there has been far too little focus on the costs of lockdowns,” according to AIER, Michigan Capitol Confidential reported. “It’s very common for the proponents of these interventions to write articles and large studies without even mentioning the downside."
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