We must act quickly to avoid a pandemic-related mental health crisis

We are already seeing the pandemic’s effects on mental health, and we need to act urgently to avoid a full-blown crisis, says Sam Howells

By Sam Howells

Josie Ford

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, many people cannot leave their homes except to buy food or exercise briefly. They cannot see their friends or family, or go to work, and the near-term outlook is bleak. This combination is the perfect storm for an increase in mental health conditions and we are already beginning to see signs that an associated mental health pandemic is under way.

I am on the front line. I work as a psychological healthcare professional for England’s National Health Service in a programme called Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT). This is the first point …