Created: March 10, 2021 08:20 PM
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. It’s been a tumultuous year for so many New Mexicans. The COVID-19 crisis has impacted everyone in some way. For others, it has exacerbated mental health issues.
For so many New Mexicans, it’s been a lonely year filled with fear and anxiety. With nearly 4,000 New Mexicans losing their battle to COVID-19, thousands of families have felt immense loss, suffering and pain.
“It s certainly has been a lonely year,” said Dr. Mauricio Tohen, UNM Hospital Psychiatry Chair. “And isolation can lead to extremes. I can tell you that there is clear evidence that the increase of suicidal thoughts has happened. Furthermore, self-destructive behaviors have increased, not only the use of drugs or alcohol, but also even self-cutting. There s been an increase in suicide attempts and actually on death by suicide.”
Each year, hundreds of health care workers in Santa Clara County hospitals are punched, kicked, spat on, slapped or worse, and it s a problem that has nurses worried someone is going to get killed.