The financial crisis is unhealthy for mental health too
Dear Sir/madam,
It was rightly pointed out in your article that the current financial
crisis has an impact on health. We would like to highlight that this can
have a negative impact on mental health across the ages.
Your article indicated how poverty can affect children's emotional,
social and cognitive development.As it is understood that unemployment is
a risk factor for mental health problems such as depression and suicide,it
is possible that the increase in unemployment could see more people
experiencing such problems and presenting themselves to the mental health
services.It is very likely that there will be a great many more people who
may suffer from sub-syndromal psychological illnesses who do not come to
the attention of the mental health services. There could be a rise in
family breakdown due to divorce secondary to unemployment with the
attendant mental health problems. The financial crisis can also lead to
cuts in government services such as those provided by Social Services.
This in turn, can affect the lives of people, particularly the elderly
population, who depend on such services to maintain their autonomy and
independence, and reduce isolation.
It is therefore right for all to be concerned about the far reaching
consequences of the financial turmoil not just its immediate visible
impact on the financial economy but also its insidious and largely
invisible impact on the health and social economy. It is imperative that
the respective governments maintain a longitudinal perspective and take
the necessary steps to ensure that the adverse effects of the crisis are
contained through prudent and financially sensible measures, but not at
the expense of the health and social economy.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests:
No competing interests
15 April 2009
Prem K Kunjukrishnan
Consultant In old age psychiatry
Lekshmi Premkumar, CT2 trainee in psychiatry, Sheffield
Rapid Response:
The financial crisis is unhealthy for mental health too
Dear Sir/madam,
It was rightly pointed out in your article that the current financial
crisis has an impact on health. We would like to highlight that this can
have a negative impact on mental health across the ages.
Your article indicated how poverty can affect children's emotional,
social and cognitive development.As it is understood that unemployment is
a risk factor for mental health problems such as depression and suicide,it
is possible that the increase in unemployment could see more people
experiencing such problems and presenting themselves to the mental health
services.It is very likely that there will be a great many more people who
may suffer from sub-syndromal psychological illnesses who do not come to
the attention of the mental health services. There could be a rise in
family breakdown due to divorce secondary to unemployment with the
attendant mental health problems. The financial crisis can also lead to
cuts in government services such as those provided by Social Services.
This in turn, can affect the lives of people, particularly the elderly
population, who depend on such services to maintain their autonomy and
independence, and reduce isolation.
It is therefore right for all to be concerned about the far reaching
consequences of the financial turmoil not just its immediate visible
impact on the financial economy but also its insidious and largely
invisible impact on the health and social economy. It is imperative that
the respective governments maintain a longitudinal perspective and take
the necessary steps to ensure that the adverse effects of the crisis are
contained through prudent and financially sensible measures, but not at
the expense of the health and social economy.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests