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May 04, 2020
Life certainly feels off lately, but you can still be in control. Sure, you’re physically separated from loved ones or your job, unable to visit favorite shops and limited to takeout for dining, but when the COVID-19 pandemic has upended your life, it’s even more important to focus on what…
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May 04, 2020
At first, the COVID-19 requirement to stay home felt chaotic and unstructured, but even as many found a groove, some uncontrolled habits remained, including excessive drinking. Whether it’s isolation, lack of in-person support group meetings or sheer boredom, the nation’s consumption of alcohol has spiked as the pandemic drags on….
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April 27, 2020
While the full emotional effect of the fight against COVID-19 won’t be fully realized for years, behavioral healthcare teams are beginning to see increases in the number of people needing help. Patricia Rehmer, MSN, ACHE, president of the Behavioral Health Network and vice president for Hartford HealthCare, said she and her…
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April 27, 2020
They’re lifesavers – how we work, socialize at Zoom happy hours, visit with doctors via virtual health, stay abreast of the news – but our screens may also spark digital overload that negatively impacts our mental health. It’s not just teenagers who need to separate from smartphones, laptops or tablets….
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April 24, 2020
Nearly half of American adults report that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted their mental health, according to a new poll released by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). Even with that high percentage, the real measurement of the pandemic’s effect will come later, after hospital beds empty and people emerge…
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April 22, 2020
The numbers of people seeking help for behavioral health and substance abuse issues aren’t jibing for Dr. J. Craig Allen, vice president of addiction services for Hartford HealthCare. As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads into its second month in Connecticut, sales of alcohol, cigarettes and vaping substances have increased, but the…
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April 20, 2020
Shortness of breath is a red-alert symptom associated with COVID-19. It’s also a characteristic of many other conditions, whether it’s asthma, heart issues, pneumonia or even acid reflux. For most of us, the pandemic has become a source of anxiety that, for some, reaches an extreme — a panic attack….
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April 19, 2020
Social distancing and stay-at-home guidelines are needed to slow the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus, but Hartford HealthCare behavioral health experts predict it could spark a mental health crisis that lingers well after the pandemic ends. In an appearance on the podcast “Healthy Rounds,” Dr. James O’Dea, vice president…
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April 17, 2020
The blend of fear and isolation brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting social distancing guidelines can drop a cloak of depression and anxiety on our world that seems impossible to manage. But, even though in-person visits and group meetings have been suspended to protect against spread of the…
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April 16, 2020
As Connecticut enters the surge stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, with state officials urging residents to “Stay Safe, Stay Home,” Hartford HealthCare will now offer access to most of its primary care, specialty and behavioral health providers through virtual health technology. More than 1,300 medical providers — including 550-plus primary…