COVID-19 eating into our mental health

The COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdowns have ratcheted up anxiety and depression worldwide in recent months. People are apprehensive about contracting infection. Testing positive is triggering alarm as many are wrongly interpreting this as a death sentence.

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In addition to heightened anxiety is this feeling of impending doom and helplessness. There have been several cases of people awaiting test results or having tested positive committing suicide. In addition to the intensification of anxiety is the prolonged sense of dread, helplessness and hopelessness.

People are watching news around the clock and this is feeding morbid and obsessive thoughts. Uncertainty over the future has been running high especially with the imposition of the lockdown and the consequent restriction on access to food and the impending loss of jobs. The past few months have not been easy for those already struggling with mental health problems. Some are dealing with an intensification of their symptoms.

The pandemic has reaffirmed what used to be irrational fears in the past. The elderly, especially those with cognitive decline and dementia, are showing more anger, stress and agitation. Having to live and work within the four walls of the house all day and every day is taking a heavy toll on all of us and the fact that there is little clarity over the timeline for this ongoing surreal experience has not been easy to deal with.

At the best of times, accepting and addressing mental health issues have been difficult for several reasons. For one, mental health problems are not easy to identify or diagnose. Often we tend to mask our personal struggles. Besides, there is a lot of stigma attached to mental health issues, making it difficult for those struggling with these problems to seek professional help. Additionally, countries like India face a severe shortage of trained mental health professionals.

The problem is particularly severe in rural and small towns. These challenges have intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. People struggling with anxiety and other mental health issues are unable to access treatment and counselling because of the lockdowns. While several hospitals are providing online support for patients, such facilities cannot be accessed by those who do not have Internet facilities.

COVID-19’s implications for our mental health are likely to last long after the threat posed by the coronavirus goes away. We need take it more seriously. What is visible of this problem is just the tip of the iceberg. The pandemic is eating into our mental health steadily and very insidiously.