How Our Mental Wellness is being Affected by COVID-19: Part 1
Written by Akshaya, Haritha, Kavya
COVID-19, as we all know, has had an influence on our everyday lifestyles and behaviors, and even our mental health. You may be shocked to learn that a study conducted by Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), found that a tracking poll in mid-July revealed 53% of adults in America have had negative impacts on their mental health due to the novel coronavirus (2).
In this series of blogs relating to COVID-19, we will be discussing the impacts of the pandemic, (including social distancing and quarantining), on our mental health and wellbeing. To give a better idea of how many ways mental health can be affected, let’s look over another statistic from KFF: 36% of adults reported having trouble sleeping, 32% felt their eating habits were negatively impacted because of the pandemic, 12% have had increases in alcohol consumption or substance use, and 12% experienced exacerbated chronic conditions (2). This was all tied to increases in stress over the virus and the spread of the pandemic. Moreover, poor mental health is a result of isolation and loneliness, which are almost inevitable during this time. Let’s observe further impacts of COVID-19 on mental health, as well the ways by which we can improve it, by first recognizing it and then taking action to prevent the negative effects that we have seen.
Mental health:
The COVID-19 pandemic has been affecting people all over the world in several ways. People are stuck at home and are unable to go outside as much as they would like to. This is affecting peoples’ mental health. Mental health conditions are those that are caused by short or long-term changes in the brain and can affect daily functioning. People have been feeling distressed as they are unable to interact with other people among other problems including financial stability. It is also common for people to be scared for their own health or the health of a family member. The added stress of financial insecurity and health can refrain a person from carrying on with their daily activities. When one notices that completing ‘normal’ activities becomes difficult, it is imperative that they voice out their emotions and feelings to another person, whether a doctor or a trusted friend or family member. Identifying the stress early on can prevent further disorders from developing.
Effects:
An important human need is to stay connected socially with other human beings. Loneliness can result in impacts on physical, mental, and cognitive health. The effects of isolation are caused by short-term or long-term changes in the brain and may include unhealthy behaviors such as alcoholism and drug use, non compliance with directives such as going outside and neuropsychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression (1). Those who contract the disease in particular, are vulnerable to conditions such as PTSD (1). Most notably, sleep patterns (too much or too little), and eating habits change. Excessive use of drugs such as cocaine and marijuana can further stimulate the development of mental health conditions (4). As we have seen, effects can differ from person to person, and we will discuss more impacts and effects of isolation on mental health in future posts.
Prevention:
It is therefore very important to prevent these mental health conditions before they occur by screening, being a part of support groups, or simply talking to a trusted friend or relative. It is particularly important for children to be exposed to the outside world in different ways as their emotional and social development may get hindered due to the pandemic. The memory of the pandemic will shape their lives in greater ways compared to adults. Therefore, it is equally important to monitor disruptive behavior patterns in children and take action immediately (3). It is also important to realize that these feelings of anxiety and stress are a natural part of human psychology. There are many people who have overcome these feelings and are able to move on from their experiences as a stronger individual. Maintaining positivity becomes vital when preventing and overcoming mental health conditions.
In this following series, we will discuss different methods to overcome these mental health conditions during the pandemic and beyond.
As always - stay informed, stay tuned, stay safe!
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