Social isolation, familial and community disconnection, shock job loss and health fears create the perfect storm for a person who is vulnerable to mental illness.
New modelling by the Brain and Mind Centre confirms our fears, that this pandemic may see more deaths by suicide than by the virus itself. Predictions estimate a 25% increase to suicide rates and even higher rates for younger Australians. In our recent submission to the Australian Department of Health, we outlined how precision prescribing and pharmacogenomics could be a a new, and vitally important, dimension in the fight against such a shocking tidal wave of suicide and depression.
Mental illness is a condition that does not care about who it hits or when or what the socio-economic circumstances are for that person but for young people, the impact on them, their families and their future, can be particularly devastating. myDNA has developed a clear and research-driven plan to protect our most vulnerable from self-harm at a time when they are already facing unimaginable emotional and financial stress and uncertainty.
It is a sad fact that even the most experienced specialist or GP must employ a level of guess work when recommending which anti-depressant treatment will work the first time. Studies show, 50% of the time, it will take three or more attempts of prescribing yet another medicine before the right treatment finally settles for that patient. This is because, when it comes to mental health, our genes run interference with how we react to medication.
