Stopping the mental-health crisis spawned by COVID-19 | Opinion – South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Posted by: Dr. Justin D'Arienzo, Psy.D., ABPP

We are seeing a significant uptick in new mental health referrals at our practice which began when Governor DeSantis opened up Florida for Phase 1 in middle April. Marriages are stressed, divorced parents have been fighting about visitation and the potential impact of COVID-19 and whether the other parent’s visitation is essential (the answer is, YES), parents have had to balance homeschooling, work, and children with cabin fever, and single people have never been more isolated (dating has virtually stopped). People are worried about their jobs, paying bills, and their businesses. We are also seeing an increase in OCD cases based on the general increase in anxiety. This all translates to lots of mental health referrals to our psychologists and clinical social workers, and parenting coordinators being extremely busy.

Leaders need to head off a burgeoning mental health crisis before it afflicts even more people than the coronavirus.
— Read on www.sun-sentinel.com/opinion/commentary/fl-op-com-kopp-mental-health-crisis-covid-19-20200520-iftpe3uyrjfw7ojg3wr2ykvu2a-story.html