This video story reported and produced by Emma Oliver.
The number of people suffering from depression and anxiety has increased dramatically in the past year with everyone being stuck at home caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
A study conducted by the CDC shows that 40 percent of American adults reported struggling with mental health issues and substance abuse. Anxiety increased three times more than it was in the previous year before the pandemic and depression increased four times as much.
“I think COVID-19 has done that to a lot of people who normally don’t think of themselves as having mental health issues,” says Teresa Andrews, director of development at EPIC Behavioral Healthcare. “The social isolation that not being able to see people, the bad news coming, you know, left, right, the things that have been going on in our country, beyond COVID-19, have really impacted people.”
Although mental health can seem like a tough burden to bear, there are ways to help with your struggles. The CDC has created a guide for those struggling with mental health to help them manage stress and to cope with their mental health better.
Music is one way to help you de-stress and cope with your depression and/or anxiety.
“Music is one of the longest standing self prescribe therapy in history,” says Erin Seibert, a music therapist. Tampa Bay musician Ali Saeed agrees that music has helped him cope and is his form of therapy.
““I would just, like, sit, meditate, musically meditate, songmaking, this is what I like to call songmaking, musically meditating,” says Saeed.
There are many ways and methods to help you cope with the constant struggles of the mind, but just know that you are not alone and help is always around.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or visit their site by clicking here.
