Member-only story
Back to Normal, Race, Shootings and Access to Care
There is no doubt in my mind that we are going to return to a new normal. It is going to be the world after the pandemic. However, some elements of the past are another form of public health. We still have a mental health crisis in the country. One that we could argue has become worst due to the year-plus of social isolation. The other is the epidemic of guns and mass shootings. The third, finally, is the over-policing of black and brown bodies.
It is important to understand what is happening because a year of isolation has not made us think, or change some social habits. However, one thing has gotten worse. We have evidence that the pandemic has increased mental health challenges. These range from depression to substance abuse. We know this is especially the case with young people in school. We know there have been more visits to emergency rooms for psychiatric issues and domestic abuse. The pandemic was not easy on this aspect and once the country opens, this is not going to magically go away.
The use of psychiatric resources will increase, however in the United States mental health has never been a priority. This is a global disaster, and like all disasters, we are just starting to see the long-term effect. In effect, recovery from any disaster usually takes ten years. I suspect this one will take longer due to the global nature…