Pub 1 2021 Issue 1

21 The rate of depression has been on the rise for several years, even before COVID-19. A 2018 Blue Cross Blue Shield study found that diagnoses of major depression have risen dramatically by 33% between 2013 - 2016. This rate is growing even faster among millennials (up 47%) and adolescents (up 47% for boys and 65% for girls). Since the pandemic began in early 2020, a JAMA Network study published in September 2020 revealed that the rate of depression tripled among all demo- graphic groups. Much like our frontline medical workers battling the physical tolls of COVID-19 in emergency rooms and ICUs, mental health professionals are battling the emotional and mental tolls of the pandemic. These professionals incorporate a variety of strategies to help their patients, including appropriate medication and regular therapy. In addition to these procedures, one extremely effective method to battle depression is volunteerism. While we at the Junior League experience the value of service and how uplifting it is on a regular basis, JLSLC member Andy Dilanchian, MSW, explains why volunteer- ism is such an effective modality for treatment. Reasons include: • Volunteerism gives us a sense of purpose as people depend on us • When we show up (for example, at an animal shelter or a food bank), we immediately see an impact on those we help — reinforcing our value in the world • Isolated individuals gain a sense of community with others with the same values and interests as you • Service gives us physical activity, getting us out of bed, and moving our bodies When Andy was a case worker for a nonprofit helping elderly widowed women, she worked with a 70-year-old lady who was alone and had no family close by. Andy set her up to volunteer at a local animal shelter two days a week, where she would walk the dogs and keep them company. Andy states, “It gave her a sense of purpose and community and self-worth.” Andy could tell during her home visits that she was brighter and happier. Research has shown that service results in various physical health benefits as well. A Carnegie Mellon study published in June 2013 re- vealed that 200 hours of volunteering per year correlat- ed to lower blood pressure. Other studies have found a health benefit from as little as 100 hours of volunteering a year. The Mayo Clinic even refers to the positive feeling one experiences while volunteering as the “Helper’s High,” citing that it results in increased trust in others and increased social interaction. JLSLC has had to pivot in the way we serve our com- munity this past year, but we continue to do so in a time where help is needed more than ever. There are many organizations with virtual volunteer opportunities, in- cluding these: • justserve.org • volunteermatch.org • pointsoflight.org • onlinevolunteering.org • crisistextline.org • bookshare.org Volunteering can be a source of joy as well as healing. In the words of Buddha, “If you light a lamp for someone else, it will also brighten your path.”