National surveys have found that depression and anxiety have increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the winter, the stressors of the pandemic are coinciding with seasonal affective disorder. We talk with Dr. George Keepers, the chair of the Department of Psychiatry at OHSU, about the pandemic’s effect on mental health in Oregon. We also talk about access to mental health care in Oregon with Chris Bouneff, the executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Oregon.
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
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