By Dr. Calder W. Kaufman, Psychologist at Birmingham Maple Clinic
I write this just blocks from Henry Ford Hospital’s main campus; an epicenter within an epicenter (Detroit), within an epicenter (Michigan) of the COVID-19 pandemic. A solitary confirmed case of the novel coronavirus has mushroomed into tens of thousands testing positive for COVID-19. Over 5,000 Michiganders have died so far, many of them Detroiters. The numbers rise even as I write.
Prior to COVID-19, 9/11 was the most significant national crisis of my lifetime. I was a senior in high school when planes hit Lower Manhattan. Living in the rural “pinky” of Michigan, I was buffered from trauma incurred by native New Yorkers.
In the years following 9/11, those with variations of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) filled psychotherapists’ offices in New York and other affected areas. They battled not just effects of inhaling toxic dust but debilitating psychiatric symptoms. Some committed suicide. These problems, as much as anything physical, devastated lives.
We sit now at a vastly different but perhaps equally alarming moment in the time of COVID-19. This isn’t new. Humanity has been at war with viruses for millennia and each battle ends at best in stalemate.
PTSD develops for various reasons. What is traumatic for one is not for another. Contracting coronavirus yourself, witnessing illness or death of a loved one, isolation due to social distancing, or economic strife all contribute to psychological problems. Damage occurs in the unconscious right-hemisphere of the brain. Some don’t even know they’re incurring harm until after the troubling event ends.
Many will get by in states of adaptive dissociation. This means people temporarily disconnect from parts of themselves and function normally. Think about being on a highway and suddenly realizing you’ve been driving for 20 minutes, paying no conscious attention to the road. In cases of extreme stress, such states only occur for limited periods before the brain-body system is unable to effectively adjust.
Much like the bed capacity of a brick and mortar hospital, it’s when adaptive systems are strained beyond capability the institution or person breaks down. People then enter states of pathological dissociation, a variant of “fight-flight-freeze” responses. These are genetically ingrained reactions to threat in all animals, including humans. Such responses can become “stuck;” resulting in an array of common mental health conditions.
For some, symptoms will manifest emotionally in fear or grief. Physical symptoms can include fatigue, stomach problems, or headaches. Others may become immersed in the COVID-19 numbers and breaking news. They may obsessively check statistics or shrink away from the world completely. Perhaps they compulsively overuse caustic sanitizers or refuse to leave the home.
Still others may subscribe to implausible conspiracy theories, like coronavirus deaths are fabricated or the illness is intertwined with 5G technology. While infection and death rates are subject to statistical variance, this is another expected response to shocking events: “I can’t believe this is happening.” Belief in conspiracy theories is an indication of deeply held anxiety. Ironically, false ideas are another form of “viral” spread.
Another devastating effect is called polarization. This is when people split the world into “good and bad.” For example, COVID-19 is viewed by some as only a public health or economy issue, rather than both factors influencing each other. This increases feelings of isolation, anger, and fear, leading to enhanced risk of lasting psychological problems.
It’s a disquieting eventuality that mental health problems will intermingle with waves of COVID-19 illness and persist long after the pandemic is under control. Mental health experts are predicting unique variations in common diagnoses. The psychological fallout will last years. Psychotherapy and psychiatry must be accessible and affordable, regardless of region or economic status. If anything written here sounds like you or a loved one, consider contacting a mental health provider. Supportive connection is essential as we all struggle through this difficult point in history.
About Post Author
