Mental Health and Returning to Work During COVID-19

COVID-19 crashed into our lives three months ago, and we met the challenge by fundamentally changing the way we live, socialize, and work. Thanks to the progress based on social distancing, wearing masks, and hand washing, many businesses are preparing to safely reopen. As business owners and HR departments discuss how to safely resume operations in terms of physical health, we must also consider the on-going and upcoming mental health challenges.

Quarantine itself is a mental health challenge. Currently, we’re seeing a major increase in the prescription of anti-anxiety medication. There is also a major increase in domestic violence cases which creates tremendous strain on the people stuck in these unsafe homes. As the population transitions to a phased reopening, there will be new mental health challenges. The workforce may experience relief at returning to a degree of normalcy however it is also normal to experience trepidation about being around people again.

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About the Author

Rebekah Carrow has been with Emergency Skills, Inc. since 2016. She is a member of the Mental Health First Aid training team and supports our city government AED service contract. Before working for Emergency Skills, Rebekah worked for several years in the anti-sexual and domestic violence field.