Decreased utilization of mental health emergency service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the rapid rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, a reduction of the numbers of patients presenting to emergency departments has been observed. We present an early study from a German psychiatric hospital to assess the dynamics of mental health emergency service utilization rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results show that the numbers of emergency presentations decreased, and a positive correlation between these numbers and mobility of the general public suggests an impact of extended measures of social distancing. This finding underscores the necessity of raising and sustaining awareness regarding the threat to mental health in the context of the pandemic.