Mental health issues such as anxiety linked to Covid-19 could be exacerbated by a long, dark winter, according to a former president of the Irish Medical Organisation.
Dr Matthew Sadlier, a consultant in older person’s psychiatry, said his psychiatrist colleagues are already reporting an increase in referrals to mental health services since the summer. He is concerned about the impact of a long, cold winter on people who are already suffering with isolation and anxiety.
“I would have concerns for people who are suffering any anxiety as a result of isolation. I would be very concerned now if you are adding darkness and cold weather on top of that,” he said.
“It is easier to social distance and go out for a walk when it is 20C outside.”
Referrals to psychiatric services have increased over the summer, he said. “Most of my colleagues are reporting an increase of referrals coming in. It is probably too early to say if that is just a catch-up or if this is going to be a sustained increase.”
The increase in referrals relates primarily to emotional and anxiety disorders that are “more reactive to what is going on in society”. For instance, he said, uncertainty is one of the most difficult for the “human condition” to cope with. And uncertainty is an undercurrent of the pandemic.
“I think we are seeing a fatigue with the pandemic. At the start there was a huge amount of social cohesion, people digging in. How do we keep people motivated, especially as the weather gets colder? Then we are facing Christmas and it will be interesting to see what a Covid Christmas is going to be like.”
A “very definitive” pattern is also emerging in how the mental health of older people is being impacted.
“The pandemic has obviously hit the elderly much harder than it has the other parts of society,” he said. “We are seeing a lot more problems in that group.”
The acting chief medical officer, Dr Ronan Glynn, warned the public last week to prepare for another six to nine months of Covid-19 restrictions as waves of the virus recur. The chief executive of the Health Service Executive, meanwhile, warned that a difficult winter season coupled with a resurgence in Covid-19 would be “the worst possible scenario” for the health services.
Dr Sadlier urged people to be mindful of their mental health.
The problems of anxiety associated with uncertainty of the current situation can manifest, among other things, in sleep patterns. “It impacts on your ability to concentrate on other things. The uncertainty becomes the prime focus in your cognitions, the thing you think about all the time. Your ability to focus on other tasks, other topics and things start to slip,” he said.
Ultimately, he said, long-standing poor sleep can lead to people seeking artificial ways of helping them to sleep, alcohol or prescription drugs.
“We know that if you are sleep-deprived for a long period of time then that affects your emotions and your cognitive ability in work, in your relationships,” he said.
“What we would say to people is that sleep is one of the best indicators of your mental health. It is one of the best things you can do to improve your mental health.”
Sunday Independent