Central Bureau of Statistics in a worrying survey: a third of respondents experienced a worsening of their mental state due to the ongoing crisis • The Psychiatric Association: "Can't stand the load"
An upward trend compared to previous surveys
Photography:
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Impacts of the period on the mental state of the citizens:
One in 20 Israelis sought psychiatric treatment following the Corona crisis.
Among the Jewish population, the figures reach 4.9%, and among women the rate of applicants is higher than among men (4.9% compared with 4.1%).
This emerges from data from a CBS survey.
The majority of respondents (38%) turned to the mental health services of the Ministry of Health or the HMOs, a third turned to private therapists and 18.7% turned to support centers of associations and organizations.
Half of the respondents felt that the response they received improved their mental state.
Additional findings from the survey show a continuing trend of worsening mental state as the corona plague continues.
A survey conducted in early November, after the second wave, found that almost one-fifth (18.8%) said their mental state was not good, a rate similar to the findings of the previous four surveys.
Do not get used to distress
The mental state is getting worse: almost a third of the respondents (30%) answered that their mental state today has worsened compared to the period before the crisis.
In a survey conducted in July, only about a quarter of respondents (26%) answered in the May survey, only about one-fifth (20%).
At the end of the first wave (late April to early May) 22.5% answered that their mental state had worsened.
Stable and high percentages of depression (19%), anxiety (more than one-third of the population, 36.8%) and loneliness (21%).
Contrary to expectations, there is no habituation to distress and a sense of relief, and this is probably due to an estimate of damage and despair from the lack of solution and treatment.
While a natural mechanism of most of us allows us to get used to the worst of all, and here there is no getting used to, probably because the situation is unstable.
Psychologists demonstrate against the expected cut: "Mental health care is a basic product" // Photo Archive: Psychologists for public service care
30% reported that their mental state had worsened compared to the period before the corona in a recent CBS survey conducted after the second closure - in November 2020.
This is an upward trend compared to previous surveys in July (26%) and May (20% reported a worsening of their mental state).
In the current survey, 37% reported feeling stressed and anxious.
19% reported depression and 21% reported loneliness.
"More manpower required"
The Psychiatric Association of the Medical Association was not surprised by the data.
"The figure according to which 4.5% sought treatment means an addition of half a million citizens to the psychiatric system! For every person diagnosed in Corona, there is a person who sought treatment," says Dr. Zvi Fischel, chairman of the Psychiatric Association.
He said, "If anyone thinks that everyone will receive a service, he is wrong, as this load causes a great delay in starting treatments or a large gap between treatments. Therefore, the Israeli government must immediately increase resources that will allow an additional 30% of hours in the public system." S the consistency in distress throughout the corona year.
This is not a statistical error, this is a trend that should not be ignored. "
It should be noted that the Ministry of Health instructed about six months ago to allow three psychiatric treatments free of charge, through the HMO centers.
A study by the Maccabi KSM Research and Innovation Institute in collaboration with the ki institute found that diagnosed depression significantly increases the risk of coronary heart disease complications among young people.
The study's authors believe that patients under the age of 60 with diagnosed depression are a risk group that should be considered vaccinated for corona.
It has also been found that diagnosed depression increases the risk of developing the disease fivefold.
