MILWAUKEE — Mental health in Wisconsin is in the spotlight after several new reports.
The Department of Health Service’s new assessment this week showed 1 in 7 Wisconsinites say their mental health is “poor” or “fair.” A Gallup poll released last month showed the rate of depression is close to a record-high and it hasn’t come down since cases of depression and loneliness spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My speculation is that mental health rates of distress or loneliness are the result of a lack of connection,” said Jennifer Schoff, a behavioral health specialist at UW Health. “So many things were closed down or moved to online forums during the pandemic, and I think that has really kept people from reengaging.”
Schoff said knowing the red flags to watch for can make all the difference in someone’s life, both in the short- and long-term.
“We look for lack of enjoyment of previously enjoyed activities,” Schoff said. “We’re looking for changes in sleep patterns, changes in eating habits, low motivation, maybe increased tearfulness or sadness, increased irritability, and most importantly, thoughts of hurting or killing oneself.”
Watch the full interview above.