The coronavirus pandemic has health care professionals concerned about more than just physical health. They worry about people suffering from depression and anxiety amid the stresses of the crisis.

“I am concerned as are behavioral health professionals that with this pandemic, increased isolation and the economic issues, that many people are struggling and may need resources,” said Nick Christensen, a member of the Larimer County Behavioral Health Council and an activist for mental health. “Particularly people who have not sought help before.”

SummitStone Health Partners and Connections, a program of the Larimer County Health District, have recently collaborated to add extra staffing and extra hours to what they are calling a “warm” line, thanks to grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

SummitStone still has its crisis line, or hotline, for people in need of immediate treatment.

But this warm line, called Colorado Spirit, is now available 24 hours a day for anyone with any need to connect with resources and a friendly ear by calling 970-221-5551.

Widespread need

Both Alison Hartman, SummitStone’s project manager and a licensed therapist, and Kristen Cochran-Ward, director of Connections, say they are seeing an increase in the need for behavioral health services tied to COVID-19, and they expect the need to grow.

“There’s a lot of fear, panic, uncertainty, anxiety, loneliness, that loss of human connection, disruption in education,” Hartman said. “It’s just 10-fold. The fear of unknown leads to anxiety, and that’s with adults and children.

“This is widespread,” she added. “It’s affecting everyone no matter your socioeconomic status. Everyone is affected. We’re experiencing this on some level as well, and we’re bringing that into how we’re working with people. We don’t have the answers for what the world is going to look like in a month or two or a year, so for us it’s like being present and meeting people where they are, and then connecting them back to the community.”

At SummitStone, the crisis line saw a 64% increase in calls in June, said Hartman, noting that some of the big stressors that counselors are hearing about are job loss and financial strain as well as the uncertainty over whether to send kids back to school.

SummitStone also has seen an increase in people coming in for counseling and seeking outpatient services, from 162 people in March to 247 in June, Hartman said.

She hopes that the new “warm” line, established in March and with increased resources as of July, will be able to support people and help them before they get to the crisis moment. The calls are free, and the counselors can meet with those in need up to five times to offer support, Hartman said.

“People are calling about a real increase of anxiety and symptoms of depression,” said Cochran-Ward. “When we talk more, we’re identifying that this is COVID related. There’s a lot of uncertainty in our community, things like: Am I going to lose my job? How will I pay my bills? Are my children going back to school? How am I going to handle home schooling?

“We’re seeing a slight increase in calls and requests for services, but we’re preparing for a lot more,” she said, adding that people have been focused on food, shelter, housing and safety and putting off mental health care for later.

“As things progress, that’s when we’ll see more of the emotional aspects,” Cochran-Ward said. “People are delaying their access to what they consider fringe benefits or what they consider luxuries. Sometimes mental health gets lumped into that. I can pay right now for housing and food and utility, but mental health can wait.”

She urges people not to wait until their stresses reach a crisis. She implores them to reach out now, noting that the warm line is available and free.

Both she and Hartman offered advice on how to deal with the stress and the loneliness in a healthy way, whether it’s through exercise, healthy eating, doing something you enjoy, connecting with family and friends virtually, or reaching out for help.

“We want to help the community to be aware,” Cochran-Ward said. “It’s OK; you don’t have to be in crisis to reach out. We want to help you feel better in general, help you reduce the stress, maybe give you a tip to get a good night’s sleep. … We’re here for you now so it doesn’t get to that place where it is so hard.”

Hitting seniors hard

While the pandemic has affected people of all ages, Sharon Pendelbury said the behavioral health aspects are particularly acute for seniors, who are isolating more because of how at-risk they are and because they may not be as virtually savvy.

And because of both of those factors, they are not seeking medical care as quickly as they might have before.

The program director of senior behavioral health services at McKee Medical Center said her in-patient program is seeing more senior residents needing more acute care.

They are seeing many who have managed their issues for many years with their regular doctors, with medicine, with hobbies and support services who now need more crisis care because they are isolated from their normal supports, Pendlebury said.

They haven’t seen their children and grandchildren as regularly and for as long, their volunteer activities have closed, they are no longer able to go swimming or to activities at the Senior Center.

“They’ve structured their lives to meet their mental health needs and to lead a productive and fruitful life, and that is not available to them,” said Pendlebury.

“Our older citizens are pretty resilient. They have developed good coping skills. They have been managing their conditions for a long time. They are skilled at it. They just push through as long as they can.”

But now, when they reach that breaking point, many are needing more acute care than they needed before.

“People are waiting longer before they come in, and they are sicker,” Pendlebury said. “People don’t want to go into the hospital because of COVID. They waited a long time.”

She, too, urges people to seek care early on before things reach a crisis level, and she advises family members to check on their parents or grandparents, to make sure they have virtual access to health care, to church services and to other interests, and to spend meaningful time with them, even if it’s sharing an experience virtually.

“It’s difficult to ask for help, but make sure they are confident about access through phones, laptop or tablets,” Pendlebury said. “Being on the phone with somebody and watching it with them is the next best thing to being in the room.”

Men less likely to reach out

Christensen is concerned for everyone, but he mentioned men in particular. He said men are statistically less likely to reach out for help when needed, and he encourages them to do so.

Everyone needs to know that there are resources, and the Colorado Spirit line is a free one for anyone in need, according to Christensen.

“It doesn’t have to be a crisis,” Christensen said, noting that he actively works to stay mentally fit as well as physically fit. “It could be somebody who wants to reach out and have a conversation. It’s to be a resource for everybody who wants to do better and better their resilience.”

What can I do?

Mental health providers offer advice to people to deal with the stresses of the coronavirus pandemic, and to help their friends and family manage as well. Here are a few tips:

• Allow time for self-care and build structure into your day. Developing a schedule will help build structure and normalcy during a time of unknowns.
• Go outside, whether it’s for walks, to garden or to run.
• Connect with your support system, even if it’s virtually.
• Do things you find relaxing, such as listening to music, reading a book or drinking a cup of tea.
• Eat healthy foods and try to stay fit.
• Make sure older family members are comfortable accessing what they need online.
• Limit your time on social media.
• Don’t be afraid to call for help, at any time for any reason. The Colorado Spirit support line is available at 970-221-5551. The SummitStone Crisis Line is available at 970-494-4200.

Editor’s note

With the coronavirus pandemic shuttering in-person events for months, mental health providers have had to get creative with how to reach people at a time when mental health issues are more pressing than ever. A story in Sunday’s paper will explore their efforts.