Sworup Shrestha
The Corona Virus (COVID-19) outbreak was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March. It has caused all nations to revisit an apparently medieval concept of quarantine. Thousands across the world have been asked to self-isolate at home or kept in quarantine hospitals.
Quarantine and social distancing have become commonplace worldwide to fight the global pandemic. And for good reason too. As of May 23, about 5.3 million cases have been confirmed, with about 340000 cases proving to be fatal. The fatality rate is hovering around 5%, about 10 times that of the normal flu. Although the majority of the fatal cases belong to the age 65+ group with previous health complications(90%), we can only imagine how disastrous the virus would have been hadn’t the government stepped in and did the right thing.
But in the growing sense of fear over the corona virus, it is easy to dismiss other issues that arise from our current environment, such as the mental toll these current circumstances bring about.
The situation is telling us to do something that does not come naturally to our very social species: Stay away from each other. Such social distancing—avoiding large gatherings and close contact with others—is crucial for slowing the spread of the virus and preventing our health care system from getting overwhelmed. But it won’t be easy.
Corona-phobia is affecting every single person, "said psychologist Michael Tobin," I am seeing extreme anxiety in patients from across the spectrum. It is extreme panic." Rarely, he said, has he seen “the level of anxiety this sky high” as he is seeing from the spread of the corona virus.
Hawryluck et al. studied 129 quarantined persons during SARS epidemic in 2003 who responded to a web survey. It revealed high prevalence of psychological distress. Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression were found in 28.9% and 31.2% respectively. Longer duration of quarantine was more associated with PTSD symptoms. PTSD and depressive symptoms were found to be associated with either acquaintance or direct exposure to a person with SARS. In a study by Bai Y et al., the mental effects of quarantine extended to health care workers as well, including "exhaustion, detachment from others, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, poor concentration, indecisiveness, deteriorating work performance, and reluctance to work or consideration of resignation". Research done by demographer Svenn-Erik also points out that Spanish Flu survivors reported depression, mental distraction, dizziness, sleep disturbances, and difficulties coping at work, and those influenza death rates in the US during the years 1918-1920 significantly related to suicide.
Teens and young adults are particularly sensitive to this issue."Many of our teens are experiencing tremendous loss, and grief is a natural response to loss," South Pasadena based psychotherapist Noelle Wittliss, said. "Depending on the age and school year, these losses can include exams, end of year events, school activities, and simple connection to close friends, teachers and others. The School shutdowns happened so fast that many of the students did not have the chance to gather their stuff from their hostels or classrooms, let alone say goodbye to their teachers and friends.
“There is no doubt that restrictive stay-at-home measures have been quite isolating for people, and all the more for people who are already isolated and vulnerable,” said Dr. Michael J. Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization’s Health Emergencies Program.
The Stress caused by the economic halt is not to be taken lightly either. More than 50 million people in the world have lost their jobs. Hundreds and millions of people will probably be evicted because they can't pay their rent. Many businesses will go bankrupt in the not so distant future. Many are worried about the future and what that will look like. Will jobs be available once the economy recovers? Such kind of stress can manifest in terrible ways, such as domestic violence. (For eg. in Spain, the emergency number for domestic violence received 18 percent more calls in the first two weeks of quarantine than in the same period a month earlier.
So, what can be done to make sure that your mental health is not compromised? According to experts, the trick is to maintain a sense of normalcy and make the most of the resources around you.
For many people, the uncertainty surrounding the corona virus is the hardest thing to handle. We don’t know how exactly we'll be impacted or how bad things might get. And that makes it all too easy to catastrophize and spiral out into overwhelming dread and panic. But there are many things you can do- even in the face of this unique crisis- to manage your anxiety and fears.
Texting, email, and apps like Skype and FaceTime can definitely help people stay in touch. We are fortunate to live in an era where technology will allow us to see and hear our friends and family, even from a distance.
Even so, those modes of communication don’t entirely replace face-to-face interactions, Segrin, a behavioral scientist at the university of Arizona, says. “When we interact with other people, a lot of the meaning conveyed between two people is actually not conveyed in the actual words, but in nonverbal behavior,” he says. A lot of subtleties of body language and expressions can get lost with electronic media. “They’re not as good as face to face interactions, but they’re better than no interaction."
Other means to combat mental stress can be creating a routine, catching up on reading and other hobbies, going into the garden/taking walks if you can and finding new ways to keep yourself occupied. It is also extremely important to exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet and take good care of your body, and that includes restraining from drugs and alcohol. This can be the time for you to self-evaluate yourself and your habits, so make the best use of it. And remember, one shouldn’t be hesitant to seek help to help others either.
Times like these can be overwhelming, but remember, humanity has gone through worse. The Spanish Flu killed 50-100 million people. The Black Death wiped out half of Europe. The cholera pandemic of the 20th century wreaked havoc in Asia and Africa. Small pox did similar damage to the Americas. So panicking is fruitless. We, as a civilization survived that, we can survive these too.
So, follow basic guidelines such as maintaining social distance, practicing hygienic behaviors, following only reliable sources of information and taking care of both your physical and mental health. And take it one day at a time, because there are surely better days ahead.
