I was walking with my dog in Fort Langley the other day when I rounded the bend and there it was: a restaurant patio carefully arranged, each table filled with couples and families. A mixture of emotions rushed through me, in particular anxiety, as I stared wide-eyed at society returning to something reminiscent of how it was before. Finishing my walk, a question bounced into my mind: What will live longer than the virus itself?
Dr. Daniel Amen, a famous Christian mental health professional whom you may have heard of, released an article on his website titled “The Next Epidemic Will Be a Mental Health Pandemic.” The truth is that social-distancing measures and other such regulations can be spoken away by authoritative figures, however the mental health struggles that COVID has either elicited or intensified, cannot be so effortlessly commanded away. Depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse, grief, stress (in particular in regards to financial instability), and further mental health concerns will undoubtedly continue to thrive as we close the physical distance between one another. Self-isolation, the unknown and uncontrollable, and other factors have significantly contributed to a rise in mental illness. After taking such necessary precautions for our physical health, the question now is “What about our mental health?”
Head over to the Counsellor’s Corner for articles on the rise in mental illness and resources of how to start caring for your own mental wellbeing.
Stay well & God bless,
Ms. Beyer and the rest of the JKCS Counselling Team