Overlook on the pandemic and its impact on mental health
The restrictions which were implemented to increase the spread of the virus can have a negative impact on mental health. People struggle with insomnia, are in fear and stress of the unknown situation that they are in. Becoming ill, changes in house economic, the possibility of losing the job, dying or losing the love ones are the dreads that everyone has to live with during the pandemic. Being in quarantine and without the possibility for social integration does not help as well; people have to face the reality of social distancing what can cause the feeling of being alone and exclusion from others. The group that is the most affected by the pandemic include young adults (below the age of 35), women, those who have low income or cannot work at all and people with lack of physical activity, and those who had concerns with their mental health before the start of the pandemic [5]. Because of lockdown, there can be expected a rise of the syndromes of withdrawal in people who are addicted and use the drugs caused by difficulties with accessibility to illegal substances [2]
Mental distress in people aged 16 years and older had risen from 11*5 GHQ-12 score in the year 2018-2019 to 12*6 in April 2020 (GHQ 12- The General Health Questionnaire of 12 questions, each of them includes the severity of mental problems over the past few weeks using a 4- point scale), what is unusual because the medial score was 0.48 points higher than it would be expected based on the course from years 2014-2019 ( the study based on people living in the UK). The GHQ-12 can undervalue socioeconomic and ethnic differences and is not a clinical assessment, although it is related to the presence of mental illnesses and following psychiatric diagnosis. [3]
Care worker and their life through pandemic
Health care workers must live with additional stress in their professional life that can contribute to their burnout and mental breakdown [2]. The effectiveness and satisfaction of their work would decrease. It can observe that people who work as care workers during a pandemic can be more receptive to evolve concerns with their mental health. Things like detachment from family and friends, long days in work (not enough breaks during the working hours), the experience of the death of their colleagues and their patients, lack of personal protective equipment, the fright of catching the disease might contribute to such a state [5]. A lot of health care workers must face anxiety, depressive symptoms, and post-traumatic stress disorder (known as PTSD); they are in a high-risk group that is exposed for the psychiatric diagnostic [6][7]. The studies show that 18-57% of medical professionals struggle with emotional distress [4].
Coronavirus and its effects on children and older people
Children and older people can have greater difficulties with adaption to the new situation around them and change their behaviour. It is observed that children have problems with sleeping and concentration; they change their eating habits or refusing to have any meals. Kids might suffer from headaches and feel pain through their bodies; they can become more annoyed, sad and worry. Children might also refuse to be a part of the activities they enjoyed before or even change them. To help them in this hard situation, parents should talk with their children about their worries, spend more time with them and plan activities together such as exercises, watching TV, reading books, going on a walk, encourage them to make the schedule together which would help them with their studies at home. Parents also should be aware that if they show that they feel anxious and stressed, it might have an impact on the well-being of their kids.
Elderly people might change their behaviour, as well and there can be observed similar changes as in the case with children. They might have been more irritated, suffer from insomnia or feeling tired all the time; they can devolve eating disorders as well as mental health problems. Relatives who care about older people in their families should try to spend more time with them, talk with them and become a part of their day-to-day activities and routine [5].
Mental Health Support
During pandemic, lots of people need professional help or just someone to talk about their mental health, but they do not have anyone like that in their family or their friend's group. NHS has provided some urgent mental health helplines, there are some of them, but for all list of them go visit https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/nhs-voluntary-charity-services/charity-and-voluntary.
Anxiety UK, charity providing help for people diagnosed with anxiety condition; Phone 03444 775 774 (Monday to Friday, 9.30 am to 5.30 pm); Website: www.anxietyuk.org.uk
CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably. Charity providing a mental helpline and webchat; Phone 0800 58 58 58 (daily, 5 pm to midnight); Website: www.thecalmzone.net
Mind Promotes the views and needs of people with mental health problems; Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm); Website: www.mind.org.uk
Papyrus, young suicide prevention society; Phone HOPElineUK 0800 068 4141 (9 am to midnight, every day of the year); Website: www.papyrus-uk.org
Samaritans, support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair; Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline); Website: www.samaritans.org.uk
[1] Ch. Pieh, et al, The effect of age, gender, income, work, and physical activity on mental health during coronavirus disease (Covid-19) lockdown in Austria, July 3 , 2020
[2]S.Sood, Psychological effects of the Coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, April 1, 2020
[3] M.Pierce, et al, Mental health before and during the Covid-19 pandemic: a longitudinal probability sample survey of the UK population, July 21, 2020, volume 7, issue 10, The Lancet Psychiatry
[4] K. Shah, et al, Focus on Mental Health During the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic: Applying Learnings from the Past Outbreaks, March,2020, volume 12, issue 3
[5] B. Javed, et al ,The coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic’s impact on mental health
[6]M.E. Benros, Covid-19 pandemic and mental health consequences: Systematic review of the current evidence N. Vindegaard, Brain Behaviour Immunity 2020, October, volume 89, pages 531-542
[7]W.Cullen, G. Gulati, B.D. Kelly, Mental Health in the Covid-19 pandemic, QJM March 30, 2020
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