Timaru Herald Article: Recession mental health warning

By EMMA BAILEY and Fairfax - The Timaru Herald 05:00 05/05/2009 (cut'n pasted without permission, so I hope I'm forgiven)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/2384103/Recession-mental-health-warning

"A mental health expert is warning of a tidal wave of mental health problems as the recession deepens.

Tough economic times are already being felt in South Canterbury, with the number of families seeking food parcels jumping in the past month as job losses kick in, and the onset of winter.

Mental Health Commission chairman Peter McGeorge said yesterday that a quarter of all New Zealanders could develop mental health problems as the recession deepens.

"Rising unemployment is a critical factor and every 1 per cent increase leads to a 2 to 3 per cent jump in the number of people at risk of developing mental health issues.

"There is good international evidence that increasing levels of unemployment and financial hardship are associated with an increase in anxiety, depression and substance abuse," Dr McGeorge said.

The Household Labour Force Survey data for the first quarter of 2009 was issued yesterday showing the unemployment rate at 4.7 per cent and economists expect it to increase to 5.3 per cent. With an extra 14,000 out of work, the jobless total would rise to 121,800.

This rate of growth in unemployment could make one in four New Zealanders classified as "suffering from a diagnosable disorder", Dr McGeorge said.

He said these people might not actively seek treatment "but if they were to go to a psychiatrist or GP for a formal diagnosis, they would qualify as having a mental health disorder".

He said the stress and tension which unemployment brought affected the wider family and could push others into mental illness.

"Those living with existing mental health issues often experience a worsening of their symptoms in times like these."

Dr McGeorge met Associate Health Minister Jonathan Coleman yesterday to discuss strategies. "We've got to be prepared for it. Mental health authorities need to be proactive."

He is calling for a public health campaign to give newly unemployed advice on how to cope, calling for district health boards to establish support groups and staffing helplines.

Nationally, the Salvation Army has recorded a 44 per cent increase in the number of food parcels given out, from 7316 for the first quarter of 2008, to 10,517 for the first quarter of this year.

South Canterbury is not immune to the increased need, with social services noticing a jump in demand which they expect will only get worse as the cold months close in.

Anglican Care foodbank spokesperson Lynne Openshaw said she had already given out four food parcels before lunchtime yesterday.

"We are struggling. We gave away 35 last month and things are getting pretty desperate. With the cold winter coming, it is only going to get worse."

The foodbank supplies relied heavily on parishioners giving donations, she said.

"Even donations are dropping off in these tough times."

Seasonal workers were also part of the clientele.

"When the work comes to an end such as the freezing works we will see a few because they may not have budgeted for the off-season.

"It is a huge challenge for someone to walk into a foodbank and admit they need help."

Salvation Army community and family services director Edwina Herring said that with casual contracts coming to an end, an additional 11 people needed food parcels in the past month.

"We always ask what has happened that they need help and a lot have been employed on casual contracts which have not been renewed and they don't have the same entitlements as normal workers.

"The needs out there are more complicated now. It used to just be they needed help with food but they could pay their power bill and rent, but now they don't have enough money for anything. "With winter coming, power bills are just going to get more expensive.

"Food parcels alone just don't cut the mustard any more."

St Vincent de Paul foodbank spokeswoman Mary Brown said more people "than usual" were coming in needing food parcels.

"Redundancies have meant we are seeing new faces. It is quite scary especially if there are young children to feed."

In Waimate, Salvation Army foodbank co-ordinator Norma Wright said the past month had been "very, very busy".

"We have had lots of people getting in contact with us."We have to be careful as some people don't always tell the truth, we are here for the needy, not the greedy."

hmm interesting