NEWSLINES DOWNSTROKE
HEALTH
OMICRON IS HERE
Included in the conversation about COVID-19 infections and ICU capacities is the impact the pandemic has had on our collective mental health. For this special health section, the CN&R reports on the help that is available to address the issue—from counseling and other county programs to new psychedelic therapies.
After weeks of declining COVID-19 infections, Butte County’s numbers spiked dramatically during the last week of 2021. Between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1, there were 701 new cases, the highest total since the summer surge and nearly triple the amount from the week before (242). According to Butte County Public Health, early sequencing results show that the omicron variant accounted for nearly 22 percent of infections in the county in December. The rising local numbers follow a national trend that’s seen unchecked omicron- and delta-fueled spread of the coronavirus, with infections up 254 percent in the United States over the past two weeks (as of Jan. 5). So far, hospitalizations aren’t growing at the same rate across the country; however, those numbers are still up 51 percent for the same two-week period. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccination greatly reduces the risk of infection and severity of COVID-19 (unvaccinated are five times more likely to be infected than vaccinated; 10 times more than those with booster dose). Vaccines and boosters are available at local pharmacies and community clinics. Visit myturn.ca.gov or pharmacy websites to schedule an appointment.
Kyle Williams’ life changed dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting him to seek mental health treatment. PHOTO BY ASHIAH SCHARAGA
CITY OKS SUIT SETTLEMENT Taking a big step toward resolution, the Chico City Council unanimously approved a settlement agreement for the federal lawsuit challenging its approach to homelessness. The 7-0 decision, in closed session at the council meeting Tuesday night (Jan. 4), sends the agreement to
Judge Morrison C. England, Jr., who must sign an order authorizing the terms. The city’s announcement said this could take up to two weeks. The lawsuit, Warren v. City of Chico, dates to last April, when eight plaintiffs represented by Legal Services of Northern California sued over the city’s anti-homeless ordinances and lack of shelter options. England issued a temporary restraining order, then an injunction, barring enforcement actions such as sweeps of encampments—and subsequently added a gag order preventing public disclosure of negotiations (see “From all sides,” chico.newsreview.com). City Manager Mark Orme told the CN&R that with the injunction in place, terms cannot be released until England signs the order.
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CN&R
JANUARY 6, 2022
‘Not alone’ Pandemic has taken toll on mental health, motivating some to seek treatment and use technology to connect
by
Ashiah Scharaga as h i a h s @new srev i ew. c o m
Iatwith travel and music—he’d perform venues in Chico and connect with fans
n early 2020, Kyle Williams’ life was filled
who had known him for years, then do it all over again in another city—Oroville, Sonoma, Reno, etc. But in an instant, a profession that sustained him creatively, emotionally and financially vanished. Venues closed their
doors indefinitely when the coronavirus pandemic escalated and quarantine shutdowns began in March 2020. Williams found himself reeling from this dramatic shift—in addition to being suddenly unemployed, he had recently gone through a separation and began sharing custody of his two children. For the first time in his life, Williams experienced depression, he recently told the CN&R. “I went from being out and about playing music three to four times a week to total isolation. … I didn’t realize how much I got from being out and around people, when I do gigs and connect with people,” he said. “The
weeks the kids weren’t there were really low and dark.” As the pandemic, now in its third year, has continued to ravage the world, with over 5.4 million dead from the disease, it has also taken a toll on mental health. Butte County Behavioral Health has seen a growing need for care as clients’ anxiety and depression has worsened, all while grappling with a shortage of health professionals, who are mentally taxed themselves. This mirrors what is happening nationally. According to a New York Times poll of 1,320 U.S. mental health professionals and clinicians, demand has surged and wait times are longer. General anxiety and depression are the most common reasons people are seeking support, along with relationship issues. However, mental health providers have also witnessed a decrease in stigma when it comes to seeking treatment and have found that telemedicine has helped break down barriers to accessing care. Local professionals who spoke with the CN&R also emphasized the importance of self-care and finding ways to connect with others during this time of uncertainty.
Finding support In the wake of the pandemic, Williams realized he had to find another way besides playing music to make money in order to have the financial stability needed to care for his kids, he said. He’s now raising funds to attend massage therapy school. While worthwhile, it’s been a tough transition for him, because performing has been “so intertwined with my identity, my passion and connection to other people.”
