A surf club identity on the Gold Coast has spoken publicly about his battle with "pandemic fatigue" in a bid to help others who are suffering in silence.A Brisbane GP says 50 per cent of patients have pandemic-related mental health issuesCoolangatta Surf Club general manager Steve Edgar said a "simmering level of anxiety" caused by recent lockdowns had taken its toll on his mental health.
He said the surf club's income had dropped by 80 per cent, causing ongoing uncertainty for his 70 staff."I'm sending guys home early from their rostered shifts and the look on their faces is terrible."There's a simmering level of anxiety below the surface, you're not sure what's going to happen at any given time."Dr Maria Boulton says the number of people seeking help for pandemic-related mental health issues is increasing.
"I think at the moment about 50 per cent of patients that I see have a mental health issue," she said."Normally people might go to the gym to exercise or they might go and see their friends [but] during a lockdown, all those coping mechanisms go. It's a very tricky time." She said she had employed an extra psychologist in her Gold Coast general practice and was trying to recruit more because of the "massive" waiting list.Medical on Miami will soon open a new facility in Burleigh to help meet patient demand.
"The other thing that can be done is more funding towards mental health but not just money, money that actually goes where it's needed," she said.