As COVID fatigue deepens, mental health concerns rise
UMass Medical School behavioral health experts offer tips for coping with stress of pandemic By Susan E.W. Spencer December 10, 2020
If you’ve been feeling depressed, worried or lonely; you have a hard time getting motivated; or you feel more tired during pandemic life, you’re not alone. COVID fatigue is real and is affecting mental health, said UMass Medical School behavioral health specialists.
UMMS Employee Assistance Program Director Valerie Wedge, LICSW, CEAP, said people have been seeking help for anxiety, including fear, uncertainty and work-life integration; depression, including loneliness, isolation and thoughts of self-harm; relationship issues; work-related concerns surrounding working remotely, perceived unrealistic expectations and work overload; and worrying about one’s own or others’ physical health. UMMS EAP contacts grew to 22 percent of the organization’s empl