Mental Health and COVID-19: Challenges and Multimodal Clinical Solutions

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to an exponential rise in mental health issues. Studies have shown that, in times of increased unemployment rates and economic downturn, rates of mental health issues, suicide, substance use, and domestic violence tend to increase. Barriers to care, including stigma and decreased access to providers, contribute to morbidity and mortality. Telehealth services are being utilized to help increase access to care, and economic stimulus packages have been created to help with the financial burden that is often associated with increased mental health stressors. Efforts to prevent burnout and other policy recommendations can help decrease mental health issues in first responders and health care professionals, who are at an increased risk for these problems. Increasing the ability to provide wellness screenings to the general population, to educate the public about preventive measures and practices, and to provide mental health and substance use treatment, such as medication management and therapy services, are among top priorities to further reduce the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 on mental illness.

Effectiveness and acceptability of brief psychoeducational interventions after potentially traumatic events: A systematic review

Background: Experiencing a potentially traumatic event can put individuals at risk for both short-term and long-term mental health problems. While many psychological interventions exist for those who have experienced potentially traumatic events, there remains controversy about the best ways to support them. Objective: This review explores the effect of brief psychoeducational interventions after potentially traumatic experiences on adult recipients' mental health, attitudes towards mental health, and trauma-related knowledge, as well as the perceived acceptability of psychoeducation. Methods: Four electronic databases were searched for relevant published literature. Results: Ten papers were included in the review. There was no evidence that psychoeducation was any more effective in terms of reducing mental health symptoms than other interventions or no intervention at all. There was some evidence that psychoeducation improved attitudes towards and knowledge of mental health immediately post-intervention; one study examined whether these improvements were sustained over the long term and found that they were not. However, psychoeducation was generally highly regarded by participants. Conclusions: This review did not find sufficient evidence to support routine use of brief psychoeducation as a stand-alone intervention.

Behavioral Health and Response for COVID-19

Research from financial stress, disasters, pandemics, and other extreme events, suggests that behavioral health will suffer, including anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Furthermore, these symptoms are likely to exacerbate alcohol or drug use, especially for those vulnerable to relapse. The nature of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and vast reach of the virus, leave many unknows for the repercussions on behavioral health, yet existing research suggests that behavioral health concerns should take a primary role in response to the pandemic. We propose a 4-step services system designed for implementation with a variety of different groups and reserves limited clinical services for the most extreme reactions. While we can expect symptoms to remit overtime, many will also have longer-term or more severe concerns. Behavioral health interventions will likely need to change overtime and different types of interventions should be considered for different target groups, such as for those who recover from COVID-19, health-care professionals, and essential personnel; and the general public either due to loss of loved ones or significant life disruption. The important thing is to have a systematic plan to support behavioral health and to engage citizens in prevention and doing their part in recovery by staying home and protecting others.

Dealing With the Aftermath of Mass Disasters: A Field Study on the Application of EMDR Integrative Group Treatment Protocol With Child Survivors of the 2016 Italy Earthquakes

This study explored the effects of the EMDR Integrative Group Treatment Protocol (EMDR-IGTP) on child survivors of the earthquakes that struck Umbria, a region of central Italy, on August 24th and on October 26th 2016. Three hundred and thirty-two children from the town of Norcia and nearby severely disrupted villages received 3 cycles of EMDR-IGTP. The Emotion Thermometers (ET-5) and the Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-13) were administered before (T0) and about 1 week after the conclusion of the third cycle (T3) of EMDR-IGTP. At T3, older children showed a reduction of distress and anger, whereas younger children reported an increase on these domains; moreover, older children reported a greater reduction of anxiety than younger ones. A greater reduction of distress, anxiety, and need for help was evidenced in females, whereas a greater improvement in depressive symptoms was evidenced in males. The effects of the EMDR-IGTP treatment on post-traumatic symptoms were particularly evident in older children, compared to younger ones, and marginally greater in females than in males; moreover, a greater improvement was found in children who had received a timelier intervention, than in those who received delayed treatment. These results provide further evidence for the utility of EMDR-IGTP in dealing with the extensive need for mental health services in mass disaster contexts. Also, these data highlight the importance of providing EMDR-IGTP in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster, to contribute significantly in restoring adaptive psychological functioning in children, especially in older ones.