The mental health effects of food insecurity

SURE IS RHONDELLA. THANK YOU. WE TURN NOW TO FIVE ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH. THOUSANDS OF PARENTS FACING CHALLENGING SITUATIONS. IF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR FOOD BENEFITS DOES RUN OUT THIS WEEKEND. SO LET’S TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT. WE’LL TALK. WE’LL TALK TO GOING THROUGH A HARD TIMES AND MAKING GOOD CHOICES DURING HARD TIMES. DOCTOR ALEX CONNORS KELLGREN JOINS US RIGHT NOW, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AT TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER. IT’S GREAT TO SEE YOU, DOCTOR. SO THERE ARE, WHAT, 7 MILLION PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND A MILLION OF THEM RELY ON SNAP BENEFITS TO BUY FOOD. SO HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THEIR STRESS LEVEL RIGHT NOW? SO PEOPLE WHO RELY ON THESE BENEFITS ARE EXPERIENCING EXTREME PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS RIGHT NOW, ACCESS TO FOOD IS FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR SURVIVAL. AND WHEN WE ANTICIPATE NOT BEING ABLE TO MEET ONE OF OUR BASIC NEEDS, WE CAN ENTER A STATE OF PANIC OR FIGHT OR FLIGHT. SO SOME PEOPLE MIGHT BE SCRAMBLING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES, AND OTHERS MIGHT BE DOING SOME PRETTY PAINFUL ARITHMETIC AROUND DECIDING, YOU KNOW, WHAT SACRIFICES, WHETHER IT’S MEDICATION, RENT, OR UTILITIES THEY’RE GOING TO MAKE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD GROCERIES, IT’S FUNDAMENTAL. THAT’S THE WORD RIGHT THERE. AN IMPORTANT WORD TO USE AND TO SAY AND TO REMIND PEOPLE IN YOUR OPINION, DOCTOR, HOW LONG CAN PEOPLE LIVE LIKE THAT? NOT KNOWING WHEN OR WHERE THEY’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO EAT? PEOPLE ARE INCREDIBLY RESILIENT AND RESOURCEFUL WHEN IT COMES TO MEETING THEIR BASIC NEEDS. SO WE DO WORRY ABOUT HUNGER AND STARVATION. BUT REALLY, MOST OF WHAT WE WORRY ABOUT IN THIS SITUATION IS THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF FOLKS DEDICATING SO MUCH TIME AND ENERGY TO SURVIVAL AND MAKING THESE SACRIFICES TO GET FOOD IN THEIR BELLIES. SO WHAT WE MIGHT EXPECT TO SEE IS LESS MEDICATION ADHERENCE, AS PEOPLE CHOOSE TO NOT PAY FOR MEDICATION IN ORDER TO PAY FOR FOOD, WE’RE GOING TO SEE POOR NUTRITION, POOR HEALTH, ESPECIALLY IN VULNERABLE PEOPLE. SO YOUNG CHILDREN, OLDER PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO ARE MANAGING CHRONIC ILLNESS. AND THAT WILL PUT SOME STRAIN ON OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. BUT DOCTOR, LET ME ASK YOU THIS. IS THIS GOING TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A DELICATE QUESTION, BUT BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE PRIDE. THEY’RE FULL OF PRIDE, RIGHT? THEY’RE TOO PROUD TO SAY, HEY, MAN, I NEED HELP. SO WHAT DO YOU WANT FAMILIES TO KNOW ABOUT ASKING FOR HELP? FIRST OF ALL, YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS. THERE ARE 42 MILLION AMERICANS WHO DEPEND ON SNAP BENEFITS, AND EVERYBODY IS GOING TO BE FACING THE SAME ISSUE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE HEARD IN THE LAST SEGMENT, COMMUNITIES ARE REALLY WANTING TO RALLY AROUND THEIR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR NEEDS ARE MET. SO, YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOUR PANTRY IS EMPTY, MAKE A PLAN, LOOK AND SEE WHAT THE RESOURCES ARE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES, AND EVEN REACH OUT TO THEM. SEE WHEN YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACCESS ACCESS THOSE RESOURCES. DOCTOR CONNORS