Is COVID-19 affecting our mental health?

eAdarsha.com Reporter
May 15, 2021
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Image: Pixabay

Nishan Gautam : Due to covid-19, many of us are facing challenges that can be traumatic and which leads to mental stress. Many people are struggling mentally during this pandemic. People feel lonely, they are depressed and they also start to harm themselves. Mental health is very significant at every stage of life. Covid-19 has resulted at increased mental health problems.

There was a cross-sectional web-based survey conducted between April 26 and May 12, 2020. Overall, 41.9% of health workers had symptoms of anxiety, 37.5% had depression symptoms and 33.9% had symptoms of insomnia. During this pandemic people are forced to stay home so that they can be safe. Different age groups respond to this situation differently.

This global pandemic Covid-19 has brought significant changes to our daily lives as our movements are restricted in support of efforts to contain and slow down the spread of the virus. Everyone should accept the situation and should face this pandemic courageously. It is normal and explicable that people are experiencing fear in the context of Covid-19 pandemic. But it is very important that we look after our mental health.

We tend to take our mental health problems for granted and in the near future the same problem can lead us to violence and unwanted actions.

Many people have lost their job or part of their income and many businesses couldn’t operate in the usual way. When people don’t earn then they are not able to fulfill their daily needs which results to anxiety and fear. Not only adults, children also experience distress. Parents should take some time to talk to their children to reassure that they are fine. Parents should encourage them to engage in many productive activities.

The involvement of parents helps them to reduce stress. The elderly and disabled people should be given more care and attention during this time. The family members should regularly check on older people. Covid-19 is a serious illness, but there are things we can all do to protect ourselves and our family members. Taking sensible precautions is essential. But there is no need to panic.

Image: Pixabay

People recently released from quarantine can experience a mix of emotions. They may develop sadness, irritation or frustration because family or loved ones may have unfounded fears of contracting the disease from contact with them, even though they have been determined not to be contagious. This has increased social discrimination among people.

But by accepting the disease, building trust, showing compassion to those affected, and adopting effective practical measures, people can help to save their dear ones. Those people who are affected by Covid-19 have not done anything wrong, and they deserve our benevolence and care. We should always offer emotional support, create a comfortable and safe environment and encourage them to talk about what they have been experiencing.

Furthermore, the challenge with mental health is that it is often hidden and you may not know who is struggling. Don’t be afraid to reach out and seek assistance whenever you feel unwell or mentally distress. By our unified effort and strong sense of solidarity, we can get through this together.

As the whole world recovers we as the youths need to continue the importance of mental health and well-being. Nurturing our mental health is as important as nurturing our physical health. We tend to take our mental health problems for granted and in the near future the same problem can lead us to violence and unwanted actions. Thus, we need to pay proper attention to our mental health at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Nishan is BBA first semester student at Kathmandu University, College of Management.