Boulder, Colorado resident and filmmaker Scott Klumb has chronicled the lives of people living with autism in his documentaries. Under the aegis of SMK Media Productions, LLC, located in Boulder, Colorado, Scott Klumb filmed the documentary, Thriving on the Spectrum-a Story about Autism and the Pandemic. The film features individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities living in Denver, not too far from Boulder, CO, and the pandemic's impacts on this population.
As the world begins to pick up regular daily living, the pandemic has left a legacy of stress and depression for everyone, including those living with IDD. A fallout of the pandemic is the impact of stress and depression on first responders and other professionals. This population witnessed first-hand the daily onslaught of patients who contracted the disease and felt the emotional toll of caring for many who succumbed to the virus. In fact, some of the fears that contributed to stress and depression bordered on not having adequate personal protective equipment, being exposed to COVID, and burnout.
The rapid, destructive spread of the virus had an emotional toll on everyone in every community worldwide and still does for many, even two years after the pandemic. Several studies explored how pandemic-associated emotional burdens such as social isolation, economic loss, unemployment, working from home, and caring for family members have affected people globally.
For people living with IDD, autism, specifically, pandemic impacts on their mental health were stronger. One study stated that focusing on social networks was a possible solution to helping people in the IDD community deal with stress and depression during this time.
With that said, countless websites, non-medical and medical, provide valuable tips for individuals suffering from stress and depression pandemic-related impacts. At the same time, some experts believe tackling stress and depression should be done from a global perspective.
Researchers from the UK and US have been working together to understand the link between mental health and specific responses to the COVID pandemic. The hope is that this understanding will be the foundation for establishing best practices for future pandemics.
As the world begins to pick up regular daily living, the pandemic has left a legacy of stress and depression for everyone, including those living with IDD. A fallout of the pandemic is the impact of stress and depression on first responders and other professionals. This population witnessed first-hand the daily onslaught of patients who contracted the disease and felt the emotional toll of caring for many who succumbed to the virus. In fact, some of the fears that contributed to stress and depression bordered on not having adequate personal protective equipment, being exposed to COVID, and burnout.
The rapid, destructive spread of the virus had an emotional toll on everyone in every community worldwide and still does for many, even two years after the pandemic. Several studies explored how pandemic-associated emotional burdens such as social isolation, economic loss, unemployment, working from home, and caring for family members have affected people globally.
For people living with IDD, autism, specifically, pandemic impacts on their mental health were stronger. One study stated that focusing on social networks was a possible solution to helping people in the IDD community deal with stress and depression during this time.
With that said, countless websites, non-medical and medical, provide valuable tips for individuals suffering from stress and depression pandemic-related impacts. At the same time, some experts believe tackling stress and depression should be done from a global perspective.
Researchers from the UK and US have been working together to understand the link between mental health and specific responses to the COVID pandemic. The hope is that this understanding will be the foundation for establishing best practices for future pandemics.
