By Scott Smyers
The government mandated shutdowns of businesses and institutions have many obvious and some not-so-obvious consequences. I contacted the Acton Police Department and requested data on any mental health incidents prior to the COVID-19 and after. Deputy Chief Cogan put me in touch with Mackenzie Dezieck from the Jail Diversion Program (JDC) where they manage data and identify patterns and indicators to prevent crimes, reduce substance abuse and assist with mental health issues by working with local police departments to redirect individuals with mental health or substance abuse problems before they become criminals. Ms. Dezieck offered to provide data on other towns she coordinates (Bedford, Carlisle, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Maynard and Stow).
The JDC is a relatively new program and they are attempting to standardize data input across police departments to decrease criminal recidivism, enhance public safety and improve access to care for those who need it. Therefore, there were some issues with the data standardization so we cannot compare the same time periods (April-July) for both data sets (mental health/substance abuse). Ideally, we could compare April-July in 2019 and 2020 to avoid the normal seasonal stresses associated with “the Holidays”. As you will see, this was not an issue. The increase in mental health and substance abuse problems resulting from COVID-19 compared to pre-COVID (Dec 2019 – February 2020) was like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing one.
The JDP provided some very valuable information on mental health referrals and substance abuse incidents. The first two tables are specific to mental health and the final set is substance abuse with overdoses. Not surprisingly, both categories have increased, but some of the details on age groups and towns are puzzling. Click on the link below for the tables and valuable commentary provided from the JDP.
The raw data is here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OuxEI7Yw_TBKyhMQmloh2EAP3DOY6eTm4tKmuFa13no/edit?usp=sharing
In the first tables, Carlisle, Lincoln, Lexington, and Stow show no increases at all and Stow even decreases. This is unexpected and I have followed up with the JDP asking if there is an alternative explanation associated with how the data were collected, or if they are indeed immune to consequences experienced in the surrounding communities. When I hear back, I will post the updated information.
An important statement from the JDP,
“ It should be noted that I have been asked if the number of incidents involving youth has significantly increased since the schools have moved into remote teaching, and there is no data to reflect any increase of that sort.“
This is a carefully worded statement based on the data available, but does not mean that the youth are perfectly fine. It is hard to get in trouble when trapped home on devices 18 hours a day.
Overall, mental health referrals increased between 48-105% (not including the towns that reported 0 referrals pre- and post-COVID-19). Substance abuse and domestic incidents both increased, 34% and 23%, respectively.
If the news wasn’t bad enough already, the non-fatal overdoses have increased by 83% and fatal overdoses by 400%! The demographic age group most impacted is those from 22-45.
Maybe there are other explanations besides the isolation and despair related to current restrictions, but it seems unlikely. On the bright side, the hospitals are not full of infected patients and the death rates are very low. Masks have become a social statement and a great example of how first-glance-analysis of selective, anecdotal data can become dogma. Most governments are reluctant to take any unnecessary risks and many appear to enjoy their expanded power. Keeping people obedient works to their benefit. For example, MA categorizes a “Red Zone” by having 8 or more cases in 100,000 people (that’s less than 16 people in the entire City of Worcester). It is clear we are living in a mostly unnecessary lockdown based on overreaction by government and educational institutes.
My original goal was to determine if there was a measurable impact on the youth in our community, but I ended up focusing on a different part of the same overall story. When people already have mental challenges or are struggling with addiction, isolation and eliminating a routine that includes goals and achievements can be devastating. No matter what age someone is, we all need to set goals and try our best to achieve them. In light of this new information specific to Acton and the surrounding towns, I encourage everyone to argue against the lockdowns because they have severe consequences. We can still protect the most vulnerable people from COVID-19 AND live in a mostly functional society.
The importance of individual achievement to our mental health cannot be overstated. It doesn’t matter what age a person is, we all strive for achievement either individually or within a group: a child learning the alphabet, an addict staying sober, an athlete competing with teammates, a scientist collaborating with colleagues, or a student earning a degree. The longer the lockdowns, the more damage will be done.
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