Stress in times of pandemic 4:21
(CNN) -
When Raquel Minina's 11-year-old son Syrus came home from school in Paulding County, Georgia, last week with a sore throat, runny nose and diarrhea, she was devastated.
Minina is a hairdresser by trade, and she knew that a covid-19 diagnosis would put her out of work for a month or more, despite all the careful safety precautions she had been using to keep her clients safe.
"If I don't work, they don't pay me," Minina said.
"And if I am quarantined at home, I would have to pay for food delivery or I could be too sick to cook and have to pay for takeout, and I can't pay for that."
Syrus Minina is studying in sixth grade in a suburb of Atlanta.
It was not the first time that Minina, a single mother, faced the financial and emotional stress that Covid-19 has brought to people's lives.
At the start of the pandemic, she was out of work for six weeks and had to miss two mortgage payments.
The stress began to affect her health.
"I could feel my heart racing, palpitations that felt like a heart attack, but it was anxiety," Minina said.
"I suffer from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and even with my medication, I was having panic attacks."
A quarter of caregivers are in poorer health
Similar situations occur daily in America's homes as the added pressure of the pandemic takes its toll on our lives, according to a national analysis of at least 6.7 million caregivers insured by Blue Association Cross Blue Shield.
The analysis, titled "The Impact of Care Delivery on Physical and Mental Health," is part of Blue Cross Blue Shield's "America Health Report" series, which uses insurance data to identify key care trends. medical.
The report, released Wednesday, found that 26% of unpaid caregivers trying to balance work and family due to COVID-19 feel more stress and have poorer physical health than before the pandemic.
"Caregiver stress is very real, but many people don't ask for help," said Alex Drane, co-founder and CEO of Archangels, a national movement that recognizes and honors caregivers that also provides resources to those in need.
“Being a caregiver is a very lonely job.
And loneliness is a very real thing that has clinical implications, "added Drane.
"I think a positive aspect of COVID-19 could be that it can help normalize the omnipresence of this reality so that people can feel less alone in it."
Raquel Minina and her 11-year-old son Syrus are struggling to cope with the pandemic.
Millennials are the most affected
Millennial caregivers, the generation currently between 24 and 39 years old, appear to be the most affected compared to a reference population, according to the analysis.
Millennials were 82% more likely to have hypertension, had a 60% or greater increase in anxiety or major depression, and a 74% increase in obesity, according to the data.
They were also much more likely to go to emergency rooms (33%) or be hospitalized (59%).
It is possible that part of this increase is due to generational differences in health.
A 2017 BCBS report found that millennials were less healthy than the previous generation, the so-called Generation X, at around the same age.
That analysis found that millennials were more likely to have hypertension, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and major depression;
and more likely to use tobacco, alcohol, and have substance use disorders compared to the national population.
There is also a generational aspect to dealing with the virus today that comes into play, Drane said.
"Because they are younger, they haven't seen things go as badly as the boomers," Drane said.
“If you've been through tough times before, you know you are going to survive the virus.
The younger you are, the more overwhelming Covid-19 feels.
And the data is showing it, "he added.
Mental health problems
Feeling overwhelmed affects more than physical health.
The mental health of caregivers is also declining during the pandemic.
57% of all caregivers report clinically significant levels of stress, anxiety or depression and many are turning to unhealthy behaviors to cope, according to the 2020 Archangels National Caregiver Survey, a separate report conducted in collaboration with BCBS.
“The stress of providing care is so real that people are dealing with alcohol, medication and food;
in fact, 50% of all the caregivers we surveyed had turned to food as a survival mechanism, compared to 14% who turned to alcohol and 18% who turned to medications, ”said Drane.
"It's hard to be a caregiver in the middle of the night if you've been drinking or using drugs, so many caregivers turn to food," added Drane. "
About 72% of Gen Z women are dealing with food, as are 53% of millennial men.
Socioeconomic differences
The report also found that the health impact of caregiving is much greater in black or Hispanic communities than in those with a predominantly white population.
Part of this is down to the numbers: The Archangel survey found 64% of caregivers in Latino communities and 57% in black communities, while only 37% of caregivers were white.
Still, white caregivers were 56% more likely to experience feelings of isolation or loneliness compared to 52% of Latino caregivers and 43% of black caregivers.
"There is a high prevalence of multigenerational households in these communities," Drane said.
And there are some wonderful components because there is a strong community and that can lead to less anxiety, right?
"But there is also the added stress of caring for someone in your home when you are an essential worker or sole provider of income, which sometimes overlaps with lower-income situations," he added.
"It is exhausting"
Back in Georgia, Raquel Minina is breathing in relief.
Syrus tested negative for COVID-19, and her symptoms improved within days, a sign that she was suffering from a cold or stomach virus rather than having COVID-19.
Raquel Minina helps her son with his homework.
Another blessing: After submitting a petition to the school district, he was able to convince officials to allow Syrus to attend virtual learning from home, rather than return to school in person.
While that means you can continue working, it doesn't reduce the additional stress Minina faces while overseeing her homeschooling, a challenge faced by many parents across the country.
"Syrus has dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and I have to be with him while he studies to make sure he stays focused," said Minina.
And because of his learning disabilities, it takes him longer to do his job.
It takes us six to eight hours a day.
"And when he takes a break, I make lunch or dinner or make his next class," he added.
"It is exhausting.
I keep telling myself that this will end, once we get a vaccine, it will end.
How to get help
If you're a caregiver, there are ways to cope with and relieve stress, according to experts.
Stay active while practicing physical distancing.
Exercise is a proven stress reducer.
Focus on getting a good night's sleep.
No one can stay calm when they are sleep deprived.
Try to maintain a regular routine.
Set a set time to get up, eat, exercise, and sleep.
Make to-do, errands, and chores lists and assign them to members of your household.
If you don't have someone at home to help you, contact a friend.
Find support groups and resources in your community, or attend an event online.
And remember, there are caregivers around you who need your help or could offer support or advice.
"There are caregivers everywhere and they don't look like you would expect," Drane said.
“They need peers to recognize their challenges, and they will recognize theirs.
Connecting around a shared reality is a relief.
Let that be your good point.
anxiety, depression, mental health