Giving Compass' Take:
- Jackie Marchildon highlights four barriers that prevent people around the world from accessing mental health care.
- What role can you play in increasing access to mental health services? Which barriers are most problematic in your community?
- Read about investing in mental health during COVID-19 and beyond.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has not only led to an intense focus on global health, but it’s also made clear the need to invest in mental health around the world.
Pandemics, in short, are very stressful. The coronavirus outbreak has no doubt led to increased fear and anxiety, while social distancing measures are isolating and can increase a sense of loneliness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To make matters worse, people around the world have lost their jobs, meaning financial concerns are top of mind, sleeping and eating patterns have been disrupted, and many have felt an overall sense of doom for much of 2020. The pandemic has likely been even harder on people who were already experiencing mental health issues before it hit.
Having access to mental health services is a vital part of having access to good health and well-being overall — the aim of Global Goal 3 — but people around the world continue to be denied this right for a number of reasons.
- Access to Mental Health Care Services
- Stigma and Misinformation
- Lack of Policy
- The Cost of Mental Health Care
Read the full article about barriers to mental health services by Jackie Marchildon at Global Citizen.