A virus of the mind (2020)

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a wave of mental health crises worldwide, making clear that in many ways, it is a virus of the mind, as well as of the body.

Paramedics are faced with an unprecedented level of mental health crisis cases and the key is prevention through a system that advocates a proactive approach to mental healthcare, rather than the current reactive system that is so fragmented and disjointed in places that despite its well-intentioned workforce, simply cannot deliver the right service at the right time to vulnerable people who need help.

When a person is left without the help they need, they worsen. The pandemic has ensured these problems with the system have come to the fore, and it is hoped this will lead to change. For now, paramedics are faced with a tough series of potentially distressing cases, likely questioning how each crisis could have been prevented. It is vital that paramedics, with the little time they have, make space for self-compassion in their day-to-day lives.