Dr. Erika Benítez participates in a session of the Mexican National Academy of Bioethics

The director of our School of Psychology spoke about the consequences of the pandemic, which increased the rates of depression, anxiety and abuse of harmful substances.

Dr. Erika Benítez Camacho, director of the School of Psychology and counselor at the Anáhuac Center for Strategic Development in Bioethics (CADEBI), participated in the January monthly session of the Mexican National Academy of Bioethics (ANMB) with the topic "The Challenges of Mental Health in the Post-Pandemic Era."

During this meeting, she emphasized that currently approximately 322 million people suffer from some type of mental health disorder, and that with the pandemic, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and the abuse of harmful substances such as alcohol has significantly increased.

She also recalled that depression ranks as one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, thus contributing to the global burden of disease. In the specific context of Mexico, it was noted that 25% of the population has experienced symptoms related to this disorder. Additionally, she highlighted that women often face a higher incidence of depressive disorders compared to men, which may be attributed to cultural factors, although she specified that there is a wide possibility that men may suffer in the same way as the female gender, expressing it through becoming more aggressive.

Regarding anxiety, attacks are also more common and diagnosed in women. Benítez emphasized that in the last year in Mexico City, 44% of people were diagnosed with anxiety and 14.3% of the total population has received a diagnosis for it, and it is also becoming more common in children.

Furthermore, addictions to video games and excessive use of electronic devices increased during the pandemic. Since then, there has been an increase in acute stress disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, and complex grief; the number of suicides has also increased. In just the year 2022, Mexico recorded close to 8,237 cases.

"With the arrival of COVID-19, there were alterations in routines and habits, complex grief, loneliness, economic crisis, sleep disorders, and changes in eating habits, factors that increased symptoms of depression and anxiety in the general population, from children, youth, and adults, although this also stems from external problems, such as the economy and the crisis itself that was experienced," she added.

Finally, the importance of seeking help from mental health specialists to address the symptoms and aftermath of the pandemic, which lead to problems that affect physical health, was discussed.