2020’s Devastating Impact on Mental Health By Syed Ali MD MBA

Can you believe it’s June 2020 already? Yeah, us neither- and we are ready for it to go away. Let’s talk about some of the badness that has happened this year so far¹ –

1. Australian Fires- 72,000 square miles burned and over ONE BILLION animals died.²
2. President Donald Trump impeachment trial began on January 16.
3. First coronavirus case in the USA January 20.
4. Lockdown in Wuhan China on January 23.
5. Kobe Bryant and his daughter, along with 6 friends and a pilot, died in a tragic helicopter accident on January 26.
6. President Trump acquitted on February 5.
7. World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes Covid-19 on February 11.
8. Harvey Weinstein found guilty on February 24.
9. Italy first country to go on lockdown on March 10. Over 33,000 people have died so far due to Covid-19.
10. WHO declares Covid 19 a pandemic on March 11.³
11. US declares national emergency due to Covid on March 13.
12. Stock market falls almost 3,000 points in the worst drop since 1987 on March 16.
13. 2020 summer Olympics postponed til 2021 on March 24.
14. New York State has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world on April 9.
15. George Floyd was murdered on May 25⁴. His autopsy showed “homicide caused by asphyxia.⁵”

Coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, is a viral disease that originated in China. Symptoms include fever, shortness of breath, body aches, and cough. The USA has nearly 105,000 deaths, the most in the world⁶. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the leading US infectious disease expert and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infection Diseases,

had predicted the coronavirus can kill as many as 240,000 Americans, although that number has come down significantly due to social distancing.⁷

There are no vaccines or treatments for COVID-19, although there are a number of companies that have claimed they have strong data and a possible cure. Dr. Fauci, feels we may have a vaccine as early as November 2020⁸.

Talk and fear of Covid has really seemed to die down of late because we have riots in many major cities, including Chicago. Looting and fires have been rampant, and the city has been paralyzed with closures. The sad thing is that small businesses have been victimized more than anyone by violence. They already have been reeling due to Covid. Volunteering for cleanup and repairing damage can be therapeutic and we recommend this, provided it is done in a group and safely.

The amount of stress and uncertainty is overwhelming. Phase 3 of reopening was supposed to happen on June 3, but now is up in the air⁹. People are stressed about being furloughed or laid off. There is an 85% increase in gun sales in comparison to last year at this time¹⁰.

Healthcare providers are certainly not immune to mental distress. Many physicians and nurses are being recruited to work in the intensive care units and emergency departments in their hospitals. Healthcare providers are experiencing moral injury due to lack of resources and manpower.

Just know, that this too shall pass. We Chicagoans are resilient, and we will get past this. At StrIVeMD Wellness & Ketamine, we offer ketamine infusions as well as intravenous vitamin therapy. We will closely monitor guidelines and directions from the state of Illinois and are offering infusions to our patients. If you or someone has a mental health disease that is worsening, please call your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to email us at info@strivemdketamine.com. 

"We see patients in the following locations: Skokie, Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, Miami Beach, Florida, Miami Florida, Frisco, Texas, Dallas, Texas, and surrounding areas of Illinois, Florida, and Texas. Call us to book your appointment today."

Take care and stay safe.

References

1. https://www.insider.com/shocking-things-that-have-happened-this-year-100-days-2020-4#january-16-the-impeachment-trial-for-president-donald-trump-begins-8
2. https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disaster/2019-australian-wildfires/
3. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/italy/
4. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/george-floyd-investigation.html
5. https://www.nbcboston.com/news/national-international/independent-autopsy-george-floyds-death-homicide-caused-by-asphyxia/2135108/
6. https://covid19.healthdata.org/united-states-of-america
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019%E2%80%9320_coronavirus_pandemic_by_country_and_territory
8. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandrasternlicht/2020/05/27/fauci-we-might-have-a-vaccine-by-the-end-of-the-year/#58cc0f4b6043
9. https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-officials-have-not-many-any-decision-about-entering-phase-3-of-reopening-lightfoot-says/2281872/
10. https://theconversation.com/why-canadians-and-americans-are-buying-guns-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic-135409