Managing Mental Health in a Crisis

Thirty-four percent of Americans show signs of anxiety, depression, or both, according to the Census Bureau.

And that was reported last month, before the outrage and violence catalyzed by George Floyd’s death and the underlying social rifts it exposed. COVID-19, social distancing, economic uncertainty, and civil unrest — all at enormous scale — contribute to the anxiety we are collectively experiencing.

We were so lucky to bring together well-known psychiatrist Jessi Gold, MD MS, and patient Darryn Urueta to help us better understand this moment and how we can navigate better it as individuals and as members of the healthcare community.

Topics we covered included:

• The extent of anxiety, depression, and their impact in the current context.
• How the general population — and doctors — are coping.
• How technology can impact mental health care.
• Ways we can enhance our mental health as individuals and a society.

This webinar is part of a series called, “Health IRL: A Collaborative Health Conversation.” Learn more about this initiative and watch past sessions here: https://medium.com/whose-health-is-it-anyway/health-irl/home.