COVID-19 and Mental Health Effects

Up to the date, 6.66 million people got affected by the novel virus. This is really alarming for our mentally distressing thoughts and altered behavior. Due to COVID-19 people are at the highest peak of mental stress as compare to the past due to the continuing pandemic; that was started in December 2019. It is growing in each society of the world from just one single society of Wuhan, China. Fear starts in a moment of realization of the fact that nobody is aware of his/her turn of suffering. A second of carelessness is enough for catching this virus immediately. A virus that is sometimes asymptomatic and sometimes deadly dangerous. These risk factors are disabling our mental health progressively each day of Lockdowns.

5 Mental Health Effects of COVID-19

1. Continued Fear Related to COVID-19

Fear of worst physical health conditions, hospital settings, isolation, lacked medical facilities, unemployment, and unseen future picture of a pandemic. These fears are enough to exploit your positive coping strategies despite it takes you towards negativity. Those whose family members have already quarantine, are becoming more anxious because it’s terrible when you observe your family is suffering, and despite having all resources you are almost helpless. On the other hand, the interference of the state’s policy is very threatening. The process of taking a patient to the quarantine centers via government ambulances like a typical police raid of the houses is especially becoming traumatic for the sufferers. Therefore, its fear is different from other viral attacks and diseases.  Secondly, it’s just not infectious but also highly contagious. Due to which we are more guarded. Hence, the more gears the more fears inside.

Those who are already with other medical conditions like asthma and allergies, cancer and hepatitis, or other severe diseases; are more vulnerable to carry this infection. Therefore, such patients are at high risk of mental stress and fear of getting the virus.

Fear of knowing the fact that the virus has still no vaccine and no medicine. This is even a bitterer reality of the fact that people feel disappointed off. Researchers are very close to their findings for its specific medical therapy but it’s far away for developing countries to import and to enforce it for a common man.

2. Underlying Depression

Depression is the state of mood that persists almost two weeks. It brings the low feeling, lack of energy, lack of interest, lack of sleep, indecisiveness, and causes impairment in daily life routine. Corona Virus is fetching all these features silently in our lives. A hunger war has already started. For Instance, one of the surveys done in California for joblessness comes up with a result of 16 million.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau and National Centre for Health Statistics, one-third of U.S. adults have displayed the symptoms of depression. It also revealed that the depression has been tripled in number to the results attained earlier to this pandemic.

A continued world’s lockdown situation is also increasing low energy levels. The uncertainty is taking to a lack of interest and rhythm of life. Insomnia is becoming hard to overcome due to off days. Procrastination i.e. delaying the tasks is taking charge of our thoughts and behaviors.

A low emotional state of sadness and grief is dominating due to high environmental stress. A mandatory physical distancing is pulling us away from our family and friends. Particularly if we start hearing the news of our far friends to our relatives and finally facing a situation in our homes; it becomes very difficult of coming out of the vicious cycle of depression. And many of us may be going through a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  This time depression is double than World War II and will be leading to The Great Depression Era II.

3. Repeated Thoughts and Behaviors

If you are surviving already with obsessions and compulsive behaviors; then it’s, even more, struggling for you during these days. Your practicing perfectionism, organizing, and storing behaviors, continued intrusive thoughts are even giving a harder time to your mental health. Continued anxiety related to these behaviors is now becoming very difficult to treat and impacting the daily routine of lockdown.

4. Effected Mental Health in Pregnancy

Pregnancy becomes frightening for the period of a pandemic. Delayed appointments due to unavailability of OPD’s across the city and thinking hospitals as a carrier of the virus are the big stressors for the expected women. Due to pandemic premature birth is the matter to consider. Reported stats are not available but stressful labor pain can definitely cause premature birth.

5. Suicidal Thoughts and COVID-19

Mental health suffering can become so serious if not treated on time. Suffering can take you to the door of death. Because it’s just not fear of COVID-19, it is also a fear of unemployment, distancing from your loved ones, witnessing your blood relatives in this growing circle of the disease, and anticipating yourself as a victim of this crucial virus. Suicidal thought is an emergency for you. Call for help and seek mental health service providers at once.

What To Do and Where TO Go?

Practice your best on below listed pointers:

• Be in contact with your caregivers, friends, and co-workers via telephone and video calls. Remember its Physical distancing doesn’t overburden yourself by complete social distancing.
• Take immunity boosters. That eventually gives you mental and physical strength.
• Take a healthy diet and exercise daily.
• Keep doing mental health exercises mostly including mind relaxation exercises.
• Lower down your smoking and other addictions.
• No news feed more than one time a day.
• Find out and practice your hobby. Yes, it’s the best time to give it a good time.
• Take online help with your mental health professional and don’t be hesitate.
• Be a member of the medical telehealth services of your states.
• Counsel your children and help your adults in coping with this health crisis.
• Get ready with your sticky notes with all the emergency numbers.

Citations:

Coronavirus infection and pregnancy. (n.d.). Retrieved June 7, 2020, from https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/coronavirus-pregnancy/covid-19-virus-infection-and-pregnancy/

Richter, F. (2020, June 2). Pandemic Causes Spike in Anxiety & Depression. Retrieved June 7, 2020, from https://www.statista.com/chart/21878/impact-of-coronavirus-pandemic-on-mental-health/

Roper, W. (2020, April 9). California Tops Two Million Jobless Claims. Retrieved June 7, 2020, from https://www.statista.com/chart/21389/jobless-claims-by-state-coronavirus/

Tips on Depression Management in lockdown: Coping with COVID-19. (2020, May 11). Retrieved June 7, 2020, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/depression-and-covid-19#pandemic-and-depression