Social Distancing is Putting Mental Health at Risk
(Photo Credit: Leilani marie Labong, Sactown Mag.)
By Zarin Siddiqua
“The whole idea of normal is just so chaotic. I’m the type of person who enjoys going outside and having a productive schedule, but now every day is the same,” said Brian Mendoza, a Lehman junior majoring in English. “It makes me feel anxious and it’s hurting my education because I no longer have the motivation.”
Since New York Governor Andrew Cuomo temporarily banned all in-office personnel functions and non-essential gatherings on March 22, stress from the quarantine is taking a toll on people’s mental health. And while Cuomo praised the 6,000 professionals who “volunteer[ed] to provide mental health services for people who need it,” Lehman students have been challenged by the mandatory restrictions.
“As a mother, it is difficult to study at home. I am constantly distracted,” said Lexxis Irizarry, a senior biology major. “And some professors don’t understand the current situation. Instead, they overwhelm us with more homework, and it is affecting me trying to juggle everything”
“I am currently [having] extreme anxiety, and it is leading to severe vision. It has been a difficult and an extra strain on my mental health,” said Jasmine Galloway, a senior psychology major who also works at Lehman’s Wellness Center. “I know that for people who are dealing with mental health issues, this is a great place to seek help as they provide professional advice, and students should really take the opportunity.”
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, nearly 7 million Americans are affected by a generalized anxiety disorder and about 6 million, by panic disorder.
Now, during the pandemic, “the country is on the verge of another health crisis, with daily doses of death, isolation, and fear generating widespread psychological trauma.” Washington Post reported on May 4, 2020 “A federal emergency hotline for people in emotional distress registered a more than 1,000 percent increase in April compared with the same time last year. Last month, roughly 20,000 people texted that hotline, run by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.”
The paper also explained that “The suicides of two New York healthcare workers highlight the risks, especially to those combating the pandemic.” One was Lorna Breen, a top New York emergency room doctor. The other was a Bronx emergency medical technician.
Studies published by the American Psychological Association show that the quarantine’s interruption of daily routines leads to feelings of sadness or low mood, while the loss of agency and personal freedom associated with isolation can often feel frustrating.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that fear caused by COVID-19 can lead to changes in sleep or eating patterns, difficulty sleeping or concentrating, and worsening of chronic health problems.
Social distancing can be particularly difficult for people already struggling with mental health issues, according to health experts quoted by the Philadelphia Inquirer.
NBC News reported that part of why mental health suffers during a pandemic is because distancing goes against humans’ social instincts of seeking comfort in larger groups.
“Human beings are meant to be social creatures,” NYU Langone Medical Unit professor Doctor Sue Varma told NBC. “When not socializing our body is perceiving a threat because we don’t have the social support to help with tension.”
“Due to the physical distance many of us are unable to use our regular coping skills like hanging out with friends, working out in a gym, playing sports, hugging, etc.,” said Megan Wilen a counselor at the Counseling Center.
“It is important to utilize other coping skills to deal with stress. The Counseling Center is still open and operational. Any registered Lehman student can access our services at any time by calling 718-960-8761 or emailing counseling.center@lehman.cuny.edu.”
(Photo Credit: NYC Well & Lehman College Counseling Center)
Pandemic Worsens New York City Economic Crisis
Homeless in NY. (Photo Credit: Pixabay )
By Thalia Mallol
The pandemic has pushed New Yorkers’ cost of living crisis from bad to worse. Before COVID-19 hit, the cost of living in the city was steadily increasing. Now widespread unemployment has deepened people’s financial distress.
“I had no money saved in my account before COVID-19. I haven’t been ready for any emergency expenses,” said Julia Fernandez, 36, a Lehman sophomore majoring in early childhood education. She works as a retail associate at Marshall’s and as a home attendant and said that she needs both jobs to continue paying her rent, one of the many bills she must pay.
Economy crisis (Photo Credit: Pixabay)
“The amount of money I have left in my bank account is less since I faced some emergencies during the year. I had to pay for a new transmission for my car and send money to my father for medicine and food. Most of the time I need to use the credit card [to] pay all my bills.”
According to StreetEasy, New Yorkers pay the most for transportation compared to residents of other states. The city is also one of the most expensive places for dining out. Path reported in 2019 that childcare in New York can be more expensive than college, annually totaling more than $15,000.
Business Insider reported that a New Yorker with a salary of $21.63 per hour would still need to work 72 hours per week to afford a comfortable lifestyle. Curbed New York stated that over 50 percent of the average New Yorker's salary is spent on household expenses.
For those making minimum wage, the pressure is more severe. Research by NYU students concluded that the city’s low-income families have been experiencing a big impact due to gentrification. After many years in a neighborhood, families need to flee because they can't afford the high rent and increasing market prices. Coalition for the Homeless demonstrated that in March 2020, there were 60,923 individuals living in shelters.
Gentrifications in harlem NYC. (Photo Credit: to Pixabay)
Some New Yorkers emphasized that their financial outlook has worsened during this pandemic.
Yacouba Idrissa, a Hostos Community College freshman, 24, was working on his training as a paraprofessional for the New York City Department of Education, the week before New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio ordered to close all school. This caused Idrissa to search for another job. He is working around 16 hours per day with a minimum salary of $15 per hour.
“I have been working long hours because many workers are requiring sick days because they are afraid to get contagious with the virus,” he explained. “The crisis is affecting my income since I mainly depended on the paraprofessional salary to support my mother and brother. The care company that I am working as a direct support professional for is only paying $25 per hour after 8 hours. It is not worth it because I am risking my life and my mother’s life if I bring the virus to our home. I do not really consider it helpful to us.”
Rivera Sorrentini, 65, a taxi driver from the Bronx, is one of many New Yorkers who said he is struggling to survive daily and had to stop working because of the spread of the virus. “This pandemic is causing an economic imbalance in my household,” he said. “My daughter had to go on unemployment and my wife is working fewer hours than before.”
“This pandemic is causing an economic imbalance in my household.”
The Center for New York City Affairs predicted that 1.2 million people are at risk to remain without a job by the end of April 2020. Poverty is increasing while this year’s federal budget is cut $3.5 billion less than last year.
The New York Times reported DeBlasio stated, the state budget for 2021 would be cut by $2 billion dollars, which would be affecting municipal services. This is in order to cover the coronavirus expenses.
“I feel that my life is monotonous working hard to pay for everything and not being able to enjoy my efforts, and it would be worse now with COVID-19,” Fernandez said.
Newly Approved Home COVID-19 Tests Not Reliable
(Photo Credit: Shutterstock)
By Sally Barrilla
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved COVID-19 home tests on April 23 to ensure accurate and reliable sampling for people staying at home. But despite this legal authorization, several essential employees have mixed feelings about these home tests.
“These tests can easily lead to false negatives if not done correctly,” said Postpartum and Bronxcare Health System nurse, Ismarie Badillo. She believes the test will impact the number of people going to hospitals but does not think the test will provide much aid for anyone and says the home tests are a bad idea.
“Saliva test kits are fairly new and had emergency approval by the FDA,” she said. “However, most facilities are not using this form of testing because there is a lot of question about whether or not it is truly reliable.”
Other New York City nurses and lab technicians had mixed opinions about how successful the home tests will be in contrast to those done in hospitals.
“I am unsure of the validity of the test, but I believe it will influence hospital outcomes,” said Eliammy Tapia, an AmeriCare geriatrics home care and visiting nurse. “I think if people are properly taught how to perform the at-home test and patients follow through with all rules and regulations…it’ll decrease the exposure of the virus to both patients and medical staff [at hospitals], decrease chances of spreading, and in effect, decrease the number of hospital admissions.”
(Photo Credit- Sheppard Air Force Base)
Tapia continued, “Patients should be a high priority, and we should do the best we can to try and keep them safe at home and reduce exposure as they are more prone to end up hospitalized.”
NYC Health reported a total of 3143.63 positive cases in the Bronx, with an estimated contagion rate of 813.75 in hospitalizations and 247.39 in deaths per 100,000 people as of May 30, 2020.
According to the FDA, the COVID-19 home tests have now been officially authorized for use through one source, EverlyWell. However, kits and similar tests are available through prescriptions.
The test kit costs an estimated $109 and includes a Q-tip swab, saliva collection tube, and FedEx return label in a prepaid shipping envelope. The tests are limited to one per household and results will be available within 3-5 days, according to EverlyWell, the only home health testing company that now allows the COVID-19 home test to be shipped through its website.
FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn announced on the organization’s website that the authorization of home tests means that “there is now a convenient and reliable option for a patient sample collection from the comfort and safety of their home.”
However, some Lehman students also questioned the benefits of the home tests.
A Lehman student who tested positive for COVID-19 and asked to remain anonymous said, “The COVID-19 home tests may take longer than hospital tests. I don’t think the number of people going will lessen.”
Thomas McMahon-Owens, a senior majoring in accounting with a minor in professional communications said, “I believe that the COVID-19 home test kits will not reduce the influx of people going to hospitals. The main issue is the supply of test kits to individuals who may not be infected at the moment, but will possibly become so as lockdowns across states are lifted.”
Domestic Violence Spikes during Pandemic
(Photo credit: Pixabay)
By July Torres
“No victims should be trapped with their abusers. It’s inhumane,” said Danielle Sosa, a Lehman junior majoring in social work.
But as coronavirus policies force people to stay home, that is exactly what is happening. Domestic violence calls in New York rose 15 percent in March, and 30 percent in April, according to New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo at his May 1 press conference. 2,019 felony assault complaints were made in the first quarter of 2020, compared to 1,894 in the first quarter of 2019. While the quarantine serves as a way to save lives from the deadly virus, for many, this means staying in an unsafe environment.
Lehman students stand in solidarity with survivors of domestic violence.
“I used to be in an abusive relationship, and it was difficult enough,” Sosa said. “I can only imagine what victims are going through [now] being stuck at home. They should definitely call for help or go to a safe website because whether they stay inside or go outside, they’re risking their lives.”
Kira Gill, a senior majoring in English, is currently worried about a cousin “whose relationship with her boyfriend is a bit toxic.”
The tension caused by the pandemic can generate volatile conditions. According to CNN, an abusive environment can develop as a result of stress caused by lockdown orders, among other factors.
For domestic violence victims, work or school served as a safe haven, but they’re now restricted to their homes without protection. NBC reported that experts feared domestic abuse cases would increase as residents of cities and states are ordered to stay home due to COVID-19.
“It is difficult being cooped up with an abuser,” said Shoshana Kaish, a counselor at Lehman’s Counseling Center. “Students used to go to campus just to get away and no one would question them because they’re in school, and now they can’t do that.” Kaish told the Meridian she has not noticed a clear increase in calls from Lehmanites, but acknowledged that stress during a pandemic can result in more domestic violence incidents.
“We can’t force people to leave, but we try to build their confidence and self-esteem. Lehman students should visit Safe Horizon,” said Kaish.
When asked how safe it would be to visit a website that may be tracked by an abuser, Kaish assured that “Safe Horizon has an escape button which will take you straight to Google.”
Governor Cuomo has also encouraged victims to reach out to the state’s domestic violence hotline online or by text. On May 7, CBS reported that New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio announced a task force to take on domestic and gender-based violence during the pandemic, and urged those in need of a safe place to stay to call the city’s free hotline.