How to take care of your mental health during this
pandemic
Mental Health Issues During Lockdown
The
rising cases, panic, information overload, fake messages, etc. are sufficient
to overwhelm any person. Realizing the need, many psychologists and
psychiatrists have come together to form online support groups for those who
are seeking for professional help.
Celebrities
like Alia Bhatt, Richa Chadha, Sachin Tendulkar, and others have come
forth to address the issue related to Mental health during the lockdown.
And the University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed universities and
colleges to set up helplines to address the psychosocial needs of students.
With the lockdown extended till May 3, the need to focus on mental health
will be equally important to taking care of your physical well-being.
MAJOR STRESSORS IN THIS TIMES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
● Misinformation and information overload
● Lack of transparency during the quarantine
● Social isolation
● The guilt of being a possible cause of infection for others
● Getting stigmatized on the basis of ethnicity, travel history or
symptoms
POINTERS TO STAY MENTALLY HEALTHY DURING LOCKDOWN:
● Stay connected through chats and video calls
● Join virtual reading, cooking or other clubs
● Avoid watching continuous news cycles
● Seek professional help, if needed
● Focus on the positives, like recovered cases
In a post on World
Health Day, Richa Chadha (left) wrote, “Like so many people, I
had been waking up with ANXIETY in the first week of this lockdown.”
She also added the following lines, “I
felt , I could tap into the energy of the universe and it was so heavy. So I
made it a habit to get up and #meditate every day... and of course I am using
comedy to alleviate stress all around... ! Today is #WorldHealthday and a lot
of people will speak about #coronavirus, as they should... But this #lockdown,
#socialdistancing, #selfisolating is not going to be easy for our #MENTALHEALTH
(sic).”
THE IMPORTANCE OF
MENTAL WELLBEING DURING LOCKDOWN
On
the surface, it may seem that a lot of people may be becoming more productive
during the lockdown, but experts point out that the feeling of isolation grows
on you and has a detrimental effect on mental health.
“The
number of people showing signs of anxiety and panic has risen significantly.
The fear of uncertainty has created a noticeable psychological impact on people,”
says psychiatrist Dr Srikant Reddy.
SUPPORT COMES ONLINE
DURING THIS LOCKDOWN
In such times, it can be helpful to reach out
for support through and online platforms related to the mental health issues.
According to Neerja Birla, founder and chairperson, Mpower, an online mental
health platform, they received over 2,000 calls within the first five days
of launching the platform.
Dr Nymat Chadha, a psychologist who has been
providing such support on social media through the page ‘Let’s Talk Mental
Health’, shares that the most prominent question that is leading to anxiety is
‘What if I test positive?’
To this, consultant psychiatrist Dr Abhishek
Manmarde, who has been appointed by the government to counsel people in
quarantine, says, “A lot of factors have mentally isolated people, including
loss of wages, misinformation, over-information, and more. So, I keep
recommending everyone to be socially online.”
GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT
The counselors believe that psychosocial
support can help relieve stress from people’s minds.
Dr. Manmarde adds, “Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) are
commonly diagnosed among those who have an unpleasant time while in quarantine.
Alleviating their stressors by listening and providing them the right information
may reduce such instances.”
IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
TO THINK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AS PART OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE TO COVID-19
— Aiysha Malik, Technical Officer, Mental Health and Substance Use Department,
WHO.
PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT
HELPLINES IN INDIA
● NIMHANS: 08046110007
● Mpower, in collaboration with the Maharashtra govt:
18001202050
● Wellbeing Volunteer United: 18001210980
Disclaimer: Facts has
been taken from various resources such as newspaper and online internet
sources.