America’s mental health therapists are facing a tidal wave of patients seeking help for anxiety and depression, creating an unprecedented shortage of professionals who can treat the disorders.
According to a survey from the American Psychological Association (APA), 6 in 10 psychologists say they are completely booked, as therapists remain in high demand from the adverse mental health effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We had a workforce shortage before the pandemic where we just didn’t have enough therapists to meet the mental health needs of this country,” Vaile Wright, a senior director of health-care innovation at the APA told the Washington Post. “And that’s only gotten worse.”
The APA began doing surveys of therapists throughout the country three years, finding that the shortage has not ameliorated.
The survey found that 51% of psychologists reported seeing an uptick in teens needing help since the beginning of the pandemic, with therapists reporting that, whereas before the pandemic kids would go to therapists “kicking and screaming,” they now tell their parents they want to go to one.
About 7 in 10 schools nationwide reported an increase in students seeking professional mental help since the pandemic. And the rates of people seeking out therapy to treat a substance use disorder have been rising. Alcohol-related deaths hit their highest levels in decades during the pandemic.
“We are now dealing with the aftermath of what happened in those years,” therapist Leah Seeger said. “If your family business closed down because of the pandemic, you might be in a crisis moment dealing with it, but the effects after that are still going to show up in people’s psychological experience weeks, months or years afterwards.”
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8 Responses
It wasn’t the pandemic that caused these problems – it was the mishandling of the pandemic. If not for the lockdowns, businesses would not have failed, many marriages would have survived, many OTD kids would still be shomrei Torah umitzvos…
And now they are grappling with increased mentally illness – thanks to the lockdowns.
We don’t need Covid, the mental health practitioners aren’t done with the Holocaust yet, they still see the damage in second and third generations….
sorry, time for people to guide their children so their children and all around them have an understanding about life…what we need are voices of confirmation of how great they are and we can’t wait to see them again….you don’t have enough HEART
Don’t go in their ways. Psychologists and psychiatrists are dangerous people.
Maybe people can start realizing the damage that “therapy” causes. It was started like all the other meshugassen by a Jewish guy, Freud שר”י.
@Rif I can’t tell whether you are being serious or sarcastic, but either way you are correct. They are just beginning with this new theory and blaming everything on “emotional neglect” – which they attribute to the fact that most of us are descendants of holocaust survivors. As a certified mental health practitioner, I am still exploring to what degree this theory is credible and in what percentage of situations that is cited it is really to blame.
No concern here. Government being milked just like any other program. When the government is here to help it always ends in crisis. Stop taxing so you can give
I read this blog with great concern, and it’s disheartening to see the growing mental health crisis. The demand for therapy is higher than ever, and it’s crucial that we address this issue as a society. It’s unfortunate that many people are struggling to find the help they need.
In such challenging times, it’s essential to explore alternative options for therapy. Online therapy platforms like Calmerry https://calmerry.com/online-therapy/ have been making a positive impact by offering accessible and convenient mental health support. These platforms connect individuals with licensed therapists who can provide therapy from the comfort of one’s home.
While traditional therapy might have limitations in terms of availability, online therapy can bridge the gap and make mental health services more accessible to those in need. It’s an important step toward addressing the current mental health crisis and ensuring that everyone can access the support and care they require.