TUCSON, Ariz. – Humans are social creatures and the isolation caused by sheltering-in-place can impact our mental health. That’s very significant when you consider the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found 36% of the U.S. population is experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression disorder as a result of social distancing and stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition, calls to a national crisis helpline saw an 891% jump, and anti-anxiety prescriptions increased by 34% in February, March and April, according to news sources. And the Pima County Health Department warned in May of a spike in suicides. All, again, are reportedly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To address these issues and offer some coping tools, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the UArizona (OLLI-UA) and UArizona Department of Psychiatry will host two Zoom webinars this month: Friday, July 17, and Friday, July 24, both at 2 p.m. Each features a question-and-answer session after brief presentations.
These events are free and open to the public. Register online at OLLI.arizona.edu.
COVID-19 Isolation Impacts on Mental Health
On July 17, the webinar title is Recognizing, Addressing and Treating Anxiety and Depression featuring UArizona/Banner – University Medicine psychiatry faculty members:
- Patricia Harrison-Monroe, PhD, associate professor and department vice chair. Dr. Harrison-Monroe’s areas of interest include health disparities, early intervention for serious mental illness, community education and stigma reduction, as well as public health care policy and its effect on at-risk populations; and
- Gustavo J. Perez, PhD, assistant professor and lead psychologist at the Early Psychosis Intervention Center (EPICenter). Dr. Perez is a certified trauma specialist working with people experiencing serious mental illness.
COVID-19 Isolation Impacts on Couples and Families
On July 24, the webinar title is Recognizing, Addressing and Resolving Relationship Challenges During Confinement featuring UArizona/Banner – University Medicine psychiatry faculty members:
- Alison R. Coelho, PsyD, assistant professor. Dr. Coelho’s areas of interest include trauma-focused psychotherapy, psychoanalytic psychotherapy, neuropsychology and couples’ therapy with an emphasis on interracial marriage; and
- Noshene Ranjbar, MD, assistant professor and director, Integrative Psychiatry Clinic. Dr. Ranjbar’s interests include integrative psychiatry, health disparities – with a focus on Native American and immigrant mental health – and mind-body medicine.
For more on the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson’s activities regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, see this link.
The UArizona Health Sciences COVID-19 Resources webpage can be found here.
For the latest on the UArizona response to the novel coronavirus, please visit the university's COVID-19 webpage.
For UANews coverage of COVID-19, visit https://uanews.arizona.edu/news/covid19.
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NOTE: Photos and an illustration available at this link – https://arizona.box.com/v/LxMyNz-2020-07.
About the University of Arizona Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the UArizona (OLLI-UA) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Affiliate Partner of the University of Arizona offering a life-enriching education for adults age 50 and older. OLLI-UA is a volunteer-run learning community. It provides hundreds of class offerings across the Tucson metropolitan area, including Green Valley, to over 1,300 members each year. For more information: olli.arizona.edu (Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn).
About the University of Arizona College of Medicine –Tucson
The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson is shaping the future of medicine through state-of-the-art medical education programs, groundbreaking research and advancements in patient care in Arizona and beyond. Founded in 1967, the college boasts more than 50 years of innovation, ranking among the top medical schools in the nation for research and primary care. Through the university's partnership with Banner Health, one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country, the college is leading the way in academic medicine. For more information, visit medicine.arizona.edu (Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn).
About the University of Arizona Health Sciences
The University of Arizona Health Sciences is the statewide leader in biomedical research and health professions training. UArizona Health Sciences includes the Colleges of Medicine (Tucson and Phoenix), Nursing, Pharmacy, and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, with main campus locations in Tucson and the Phoenix Biomedical Campus in downtown Phoenix. From these vantage points, Health Sciences reaches across the state of Arizona, the greater Southwest and around the world to provide next-generation education, research and outreach. A major economic engine, Health Sciences employs nearly 5,000 people, has approximately 4,000 students and 900 faculty members, and garners $200 million in research grants and contracts annually. For more information: uahs.arizona.edu (Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram).