Mental health experts concerned suicides could increase because of COVID-19

Doctors worry about mental health effects of the virus

STARTING AT FOUR --RIGHT HERE ON 41 ACTIONNEWS.THE WAY THIS PANDEMICHAS CHANGED OUR LIVESCAN SEVERELY IMPACTOUR MENTAL HEALTH.AND AS 41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER JORDAN BETTSSHOWS US -- MEDICALEXPERTS ARE SEEING THEDETRIMENTAL EFFECTS.DR. DANIELLE JOHNSON,Psychologist AT THE UNIVERSITYOF KANSAS HEALTH SYSTEM"we've seen an increase in notonly a suicide hotline numbersbut the attempts have beenmore serious."EXPERTS SAY SUICIDE IS AGROWING CONCERNDURING THE PANDEMIC.DATA SHOWING THEVOLUME OF CALLS ON THERISE AND THE TYPES OFCALLS- EVEN MOREALARMING.DR. DANIELLE JOHNSON,Psychologist AT THE UNIVERSITYOF KANSAS HEALTH SYSTEM:"Some kiddos are doing moreserious things to attempt totake their lives and workinginpatient psychiatry foradolescence."UNIVERSITY OF KANSASHEALTH SYSTEM'SMARILLAC CAMPUS THATHELPS KIDS WITH MENTALILLNESS TOLD 41 ACTIONNEW BACK IN APRIL THATTHEY WERE SEEING ADECLINE IN PATIENTS.THEY BELIEVE THE VIRUSWAS MAKING PATIENTSAND THEIR FAMILIES NOTTO COME IN.NOW, THAT'S NOT THECASE.Dr. Mitchell Douglass, MedicalDirector at the Marillac campus."Our overall for summertimeare numbers are probably 50percent higher than we wouldtypically see."THERE IS ALSO ANINCREASE IN CALLS TO THEJOHNSON COUNTY MENTALHEALTH HOTLINE.Tim DeWeese, Director of theJohnson County Mental HealthCenter"We have seen over the last17 weeks we have seen abouta thirty percent increase in thenumber of calls both duringthe day and night."DIRECTOR OF THE MENTALHEALTH DEPARTMENTSAYS THEY ARE HEARINGABOUT PEOPLE TAKINGTHEIR LIVES ON A WEEKLYBASIS.Tim DeWeese, Director of theJohnson County Mental HealthCenter"What we have seen since thepandemic started, we areaware of 23 deaths by suicideover the last 17 weeks.

That isunfortunately at a higher ratethan we saw last year."SO, PLACES LIKE JO-COMENTAL HEALTH ARERAMPING UP THEIR HOTLINE STAFF TO TRY TOHELP AS MANY PEOPLE ASTHEY CAN.Tim DeWeese, Director of theJohnson County Mental HealthCenter"When COVID pandemicstarted, we quickly saw thatwe were going to need tobolster the staffing in there.We have three staff working24 hours a day to cover thecalls.PROFESSIONALS SAY FEAROF THE VIRUS SHOULDNOT STOP YOU FROMGETTING MENTAL HEALTHCARETim DeWeese, Director of theJohnson County Mental HealthCenter"Let's provide ourselves somegrace.

Let's provide somekindness