What the Future of Mental Health Awareness Work Looks Like After Coronavirus 2020
Dear social media followers and influencers, July is Mental Health Awareness Month! Let’s share some ideas on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. Today, I would like to highlight Anxiety in these uncertain times. As per the World health organisation, 264 million people live with an Anxiety disorder (WHO,2015) and after COVID -19, this number would be different?
Anxiety is the body’s natural reaction to stress by increasing the heart rate, palpitation, muscle tension, feeling of uneasiness, and uncertainty of the present and future situations.
Continually watching and discussing with the family, friends, and colleagues the same news of uncertainty that when will it be over? When will we be out of this? It is a feeling of fear about what is to come? what is next? what is going to happen? How long will this last? Fear will be continued….This interferes with our daily activities which creates distress on mental health, it builds on with the different types of anxiety such as Panic attacks/ Phobia/ OCD, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This disrupts pleasant family environments and relationships. Crises during this period cause extreme pressure on infinite resources, increases fear of financial crises, health v/s virus, Fear leads to Anxiety and vice-versa! This creates a vicious cycle of emotional uncertainty which is equal to Anxiety from person to person as you feel you are stuck in Rut.
You are unable to make the change! For example,…repetitive behavior’s of constantly washing/sanitizing hands, obsessing on if one forgot and becoming panic when meeting someone or touching an object… this becomes difficult to monitor. Family and friends keep reminding us continually about sanitizing hands/masks, this also sometimes becomes irritating! isn’t it? Frustration is not only due to COVID, but it could be due to the lack of freedom in the house/office.
Everyone being at home, it may invade your space, one may not have liberty. Thus, causing a difference of opinions amongst family members.
Employees are stressed over their daily wages; employers are worried about the economy and financial crises, students and parents are in distress because of school and syllabus, learning online does not give sufficient opportunity to explore? Everything seems to be at standstill! although we are operating in a lot of sectors of business, at the same time COVID cases are hiking. Dilemma: to go out or not? Work or not? Do we, or don’t we? ….These are the key questions.
We keep consoling ourselves by saying “we have to live with it, and do everything” yet, craving for freedom! or people just want to ignore, avoid the situation, yet, feel angry, frustrated, and throw tantrums.
Please utilize this time sensibly, be active, keep yourself occupied in office planning, observe the moment in business what you wanted to do in the past, create an agenda for new strategies, to lift the business faster which can be implemented as soon as the situation is “back to normal”. One can also take the time to rearrange, re-organise personal space. Develop hobbies such as reading, artwork, gardening, music, watching tv, exercise, yoga, meditation and perhaps some indoor games with the family! These are therapeutic aids to overcoming anxiety, even learning new things on YouTube.
There is a higher diversity in the modern era! Also, teach and learn skills from others, technology is high, we are “Socially distant, and NOT Emotionally”, so connect to everyone through electronic means and create the support system. Spread the message of “Hope and Help” Lets’ FOCUS on being healthy physically and mentally!
Cheers to Mental Health! Dr Suchita Chavda
Clinical Psychologist
Sandton
South Africa
