#JamesDonaldson On #MentalHealth – #Appalachians Struggle With #Suicide, #Overdoses, And Other Diseases Of Despair

Laken Brooks

Contributor

I write about #LGBTQ+ identity, disability, and #rural health access.

The #pandemic has had long-term impacts on #Appalachian families and #rural health infrastructure

In May of 2023, the Biden administration ended the #Covid-19 national and public health emergencies. After years of coping with Covid-19, many people are eager to “return to normal.” However, the #pandemic left long-term scars on Appalachian communities. A new report from the Appalachian Regional Commission indicates that for the countless rural people who lost loved ones to diseases of despair, the pandemic is still an emergency.

#James Donaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.  #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation
website www.yourgiftoflife.org                            Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,
#CelebratingYourGiftofLife:
From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy



 

www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

Living deep in the Appalachian mountains can be lonely. Some residents have to travel for miles to find their nearest neighbor; they might need to venture even further from home to find a #doctor or #psychiatrist. In rural Appalachia, there is a shortage of #counselors and #mentalhealthprofessionals. Socioeconomic and healthcare inequities can perpetuate diseases of despair: #suicidalideation or attempts, #drugoverdoses, kidney or liver damage from #alcohol dependency, etc.

In March of 2023, the Appalachian Regional Commission released a report about the rising rates of diseases of despair in rural Appalachia. During 2019-2020, there was a spike in regional deaths caused by diseases of despair, explain researchers from East Tennessee State University’s Center for Rural Health Research and NORC at the University of Chicago.

This increase concerns rural health advocates since diseases of despair were on the decline in the years before the pandemic. “Between 2017 and 2018, both the Appalachian Region and the non-Appalachian U.S. saw the first decline in the all-cause mortality rate since 2011 to 2012,” says the Appalachian Regional Commission’s report. Rural Appalachian healthcare centers experienced fewer fatal #drugoverdoses in 2017-2018.

But during the pandemic, communities across the country struggled with #substanceabuse and #depression. #Socialisolation, #stress, and decreased access to #mentalhealthtreatment may have pushed some people to self-medicate with #drugs or #alcohol.

Appalachians have been disproportionately harmed by these diseases of despair. When compared to the rest of the country, Appalachians are significantly more likely to struggle with higher rates of #opioid overdoses, #suicide, and liver disease.

East Tennessee State University paints a stark image of this health crisis: “Between 2019 and 2020, the diseases of despair mortality rate increased by 24% in the Appalachian region and 20% in the non-Appalachian #UnitedStates. In 2020, the rate was 37% higher in the Appalachian region than the rest of the U.S.” Between 2019 and 2020, Central Appalachian communities had a 41% increase in fatalities from overdoses, suicides, or other diseases of despair.

With the end of the national pandemic emergency, many Appalachians will continue to grapple with health inequalities like #doctor shortages, long waiting times for #mentalhealthcare, and expensive insurance costs. According to the US Department of Labor, #Americans might have to spend more money to cover the costs of their own PPE, Covid-19 #vaccines, or Covid-19 tests. These extra costs may leave already-struggling Appalachians feeling adrift.

Despite the dark reality of Appalachia’s diseases of despair, local advocates create beacons of hope. Lawson Koeppel has helped run a nonprofit called the Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition in Roanoke, Virginia. The Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition provides thousands of doses of naloxone (a life-saving treatment that can mitigate symptoms of a drug overdose) to people in need. “I know what it’s like to wake up in the morning, not want to get high and still end up getting high. I know what it’s like to be stigmatized for drug use. I know what it’s like to be ostracized,” Koeppel states in an article written by Noah Smith for Direct Relief. Koeppel continues, “If you offer somebody a way to improve their health… It turns out, they take it, especially if it’s a low barrier.”

The Appalachian Regional Commissioner's recent report indicates that years into the pandemic, Appalachians need more support to cope with substance abuse, #grief, and mental health. If you are struggling, you might consider contacting these resources: #988Suicide&CrisisLifeline, Appalachian Substance Abuse Coalition, the Appalachian Mind Health Initiative, or a local health department or crisis center.

https://standingabovethecrowd.com/2023/06/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-appalachians-struggle-with-suicide-overdoses-and-other-diseases-of-despair/