Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados Today Inc.
by the Barbados Youth Development Council
“Over the last twelve months, eight of the country’s suspected suicides claimed persons under the age of forty, of those eight, four were teenagers.” – Smith, K. (2021, February 19). Mental health chief worries young people not coping. Barbados TODAY.
The COVID-19 pandemic is the largest global crisis that many young people have witnessed and have been required to navigate. This crisis has disrupted the lives of every person as measures to limit the spread of the virus, such as school closures and restricted movement, became necessary to protect the lives of our citizens. Yet, the impact of these measures on the mental health of Barbadians, especially young people have been overlooked but requires a clear and coordinated approach to curb its long-term consequences.
The mental health and wellness of young people in Barbados have been a concern before Covid-19. This is not a new problem. The current global pandemic just further highlighted the needs and challenges of young people in several areas which are critical to their development.
In ‘The New Normal’, the impact of school closures, isolation and minimal social interaction has been taken for granted and it has taken its toll.
Barbados, like many other countries, responded decisively to the crisis through emergency orders. However, like many other countries, they did not anticipate the widespread psychological consequences of these protocols or implement mitigating measures to address this impact on their citizens’ mental health.
The pandemic has created new sources of anxiety based on fear of becoming ill, losing a loved one to illness, loss of income, loss of social connections, loneliness and isolation, the disruption to education and feelings of stagnancy and failure.
These concerns have in many ways exacerbated existing challenges faced by young people such as abuse, unemployment, underemployment, and other forms of marginalisation experienced by young Barbadians. With the increasing need for support, Covid-19 has halted or disrupted access to critical mental health services and prevented many from accessing the support found in schools, and with extended families and communities.
Discrimination and stigma continue to discourage young people from accessing mental health services. Too often, the Psychiatric Hospital is still referred to as ‘de mental’, ‘jenkins’ or other terms which may cause persons considering utilising the services offered to be embarrassed. The Psychiatric Hospital’s reputation has continually been tarnished and viewed as a place when violent offenders go to be kept away from the general public.
Although it is a hospital for the care of severely mentally ill patients or a place where persons are taken by police for being unruly and disturbing the peace, the services offered are much more such as outpatient care and counselling services. The World Health Organisation Report on Mental Health Systems in Barbados (2009), states that “of the 1,166 admissions in the Psychiatric Hospital in 2007, 497 (43 per cent) were classified as involuntary”.
This means that they were placed in the hospital due to court mandate or they were committed by a mental health officer. Social characteristics such as discrimination and lack of policy can affect a person’s pursuit of achieving the services they need to achieve the lifestyle they value.
What we need is a real shift in the approach we take to mental health and to reshape the narrative surrounding mental wellbeing. This calls for investment in prevention, access to early intervention, psychotherapies, community mental health and e-mental health access. There is a need to shift from conversations rooted in stigma to dialogue grounded in compassion and empathy while increasing counselling and support.
The need for public education and sensitisation around mental health has become alarmingly clear. It is critical that as we continue to navigate this pandemic that we dispel myths surrounding depression and anxiety and most importantly highlight that young people can indeed be confronted by mental health issues.
The invalidation of challenges that are unique to young people not only prevents requisite treatment and attention but can also cause irreparable damage and loss of life which could be prevented given the correct approaches and interventions. It is inappropriate at best and condescending at worst to take a “get over it” or “it will get better” attitude. The feelings of young people are valid, the challenges that young people face are valid and the inability to cope in light of crisis or during difficult periods is valid and should be treated with urgency, compassion and care.
Covid-19 presents us with a key opportunity to redesign our mental health services to respond to challenges and eliminate the barriers surrounding the mental wellbeing of our young people. We welcome the announcement that the government intends to revive the Suicide Prevention Hotline, providing vital care and support for young people.
However, there is still a need for greater investment to fill gaps in infrastructure and ensure sustainability. It is critical to invest in our young people’s mental well-being by drastically expanding the mental health services offered to support young people in their schools and communities. In addition, to creating programmes to enable parents to be equipped to understand and respond to the psychological needs of young people.
An effective response requires civil society organisations and governments to adapt to a rapidly evolving landscape. This includes online support and new and innovative approaches to safe service delivery.
The normalisation of seeking help requires us to reimagine the provision of services by creating online hubs for access to individual online counselling services for adolescents along with training and education for mental health specialists. These services can include more outpatient clinics in the local polyclinic. This means ease of access to services within the community and ensuring that outpatient services being offered by the psychiatric hospital are effectively promoted.
In examining the current reality of the situation in Barbados the Barbados Youth Development Council believes it is now time for Barbados to launch a cross-government strategy that integrates mental health and wellbeing into all policies.
A comparative needs assessment should be done to compare the level of health care between those with mental health and those with physical health issues and to find if individuals within certain communities did not have comparable mental health care access.
This approach enables policymakers to address cross-sectoral inequalities which can contribute to mental health challenges and impede improved mental wellbeing. As a country, Barbados is tasked with creating a clear plan on how to build and develop services to support groups that are disproportionately affected by the crisis.
It is our job to ensure that no more lives are lost because we did not act with the urgency and compassion needed. The time has come for the prioritisation of the mental wellbeing of our citizens. “Mental illness may be invisible, but the people who live with it are not.” Hannah Blum.
The Barbados Youth Development Councils offers sincere condolences to the friends and families of people who have been affected by suspected cases of suicide.
This column was offered as a Letter to the Editor by the Barbados Youth Development Council.
