The director of the Wisconsin Center for Suicide Awareness says the unfortunate irony of the social distancing to prevent spread of the coronavirus is the psychological fallout. Barb Bigalki says for some, prolonged isolation during the pandemic may worsen or trigger mental health problems. “We are very concerned about the mental health,” Bigalki told WFDL news. “Obviously we’re watching what the Hopeline data has brought to us.” Bigalki says calls to the center’s suicide prevention Hope Line have increased 50 percent in the last couple of weeks. Some people will fare better than others. Bigalki says some people may actually see their social contact increase as families hunker down together.
