Wall Street Woes Lead to Mental Health Consequences | The Retreat at Sheppard Pratt

Wall Street Woes Lead to Mental Health Consequences

November 18, 2008 —

There’s been much speculation on the impact of the economic crisis on mental health. We know from previous research that economic downturns lead to increased prevalence of depression, hospitalizations, and suicide. The risk factors associated with these difficulties are proportionate to the proximity of the economic impact on the individual and family. The loss of a job, a home, or a retirement fund is a major blow and vulnerable individuals will suffer. The ongoing anxiety about the future is another mental health issue about which we don’t know very much.

In America, when people lose their jobs, they often also lose their health insurance. The public sector is very much under-financed and in disarray. There will be many efforts to expand health insurance coverage to the uninsured as the economic downturn proceeds. Here at Sheppard Pratt, we remain committed to providing the highest quality care to individuals who suffer from major mental illness and to others who are at risk in these economically perilous times.

- Steven S. Sharfstein, M.D.