Dr. Mahmood Jahromi called it a “double whammy.”
Just as the economic crisis has more people feeling stressed, depressed and in need of therapy, many patients are forgoing appointments and medications to save money.
“Some of them who were just hanging by a thread, they have fallen and they are really depressed,” said Jahromi, a psychiatrist at St. Joseph Medical Center.
Jahromi estimated his amount of no-shows have increased 20 percent, including new patients that make appointments but then don’t show up.
Some patients may have lost their jobs and health insurance, and others are trying to trim expenses wherever they can, he said.
“Undoubtedly there is a connection between what is happening out there [with the economy], and what my patients are experiencing,” he said.
Harold Steinitz, co-director of the Anxiety and Stress Disorders Institute of Maryland in Towson, said he is also seeing patients cut down to fewer appointments to cut costs, just as the worry and anxiety mounts.
“At a time when they need more support, they are opting for less,” he said.
Much of the anxiety stems from the uncertainly surrounding the economic turmoil, Steinitz said, as people wonder whether they will get laid off or how they will pay for retirement.
The downturn is also adding to the burden of organizations providing mental health outreach. At Mosaic Community Services in Timonium, the crisis has meant less funding at a time when the need for services is steadily increasing.
“We want to make sure the access is here for folks, but we are impacted as a business,” said Jeff Richardson, Mosaic’s executive director.
All the worry can take a toll on a person’s body.
Dr. Kathy Helzlsouer, director of the prevention and research center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, likened it to a person’s reaction to a near-miss car accident, but that panicked feeling and racing heart is constant.
Stress can lead to increased blood pressure, a change in pain perception and sleeplessness. Chronic conditions such as diabetes may be harder to keep under control, Helzlsouer said.
“These are real symptoms,” she said.
People may also relieve stress by overeating, drinking or self-medicating, Richardson said, adding that depression is often successfully treated with therapy or medications.
Helzlsouer suggested some people may try focusing on techniques to relieve some of the stress, such as deep breathing and exercising.
“We can’t remove it,” she said of the economic burdens, “But we can help limit those adverse effects.”
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