OPINION/GUEST VIEW: Forum comes as experts raise concerns of mental health crisis

We are at a true crisis point in our community and our nation’s mental health.

Even prior to the COVID pandemic, our country was facing an epidemic of mental health challenges. In 2020, an estimated one in five adults per year experienced mental illness. Approximately 21 million people were living with major depression while another 48 million were dealing with major anxiety disorders. Suicide was the second leading cause of death among those ages 10 to 34.

Then came COVID-19, and with it what has been called a “tsunami” of psychiatric Illness. Many individuals, even without prior mental health issues, were suddenly and profoundly faced with a number of stressors -- prolonged isolation, loss of work, financial woes, work burnout, death of a loved one. The result has been increased mental health challenges as well as substance use issues. Measuring the fallout of the toll on our mental health could take years.

Unfortunately, stigma around mental health continues to result in individuals feeling shame rather than reaching out, asking for help, and receiving adequate treatment for psychiatric conditions. That has contributed to the mental health epidemic we are facing and underscores the need to address ways to reduce stigma. Hopefully the pandemic will create opportunities to speak about mental health more freely and expand access to treatment.

Newport Hospital’s annual Mental Health Month forum — a virtual event to be held on May 24 — couldn’t come at a better time. It’s an opportunity for the community to get involved in an issue that is affecting so many individuals and families in our community. To learn more about the panelists and how to register, go to lifespan.org/newport-health-series

Jon Brett, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist at Newport Hospital’s Adult Partial Hospital Program, which provides a daytime structured treatment environment for adults with mental and behavioral health issues.