Globally, the pandemic has had a varied degree of impact on people. Economics have witnessed slowdowns, people have been laid off and governments are trying their best to contain the impact of COVID-19. Amidst this, there is a varied set of risks coming up – mental health exacerbated by COVID-19.
From the outset, it seems that COVID-19 poses the biggest to our physiological systems. People who have been infected are going through tremendous set of tests, caring, and nurturing. Of those who have been able to recover, most medical researchers are trying to understand what helped them survive.
Mental health does not have such a linear path. Most healthy people, who are not infected by COVID-19, have had mental health conditions for years. And it takes them a lot of time to diagnose that they might have a problem. Hence, this is a good time to evaluate how the pandemic has impacted you. Pay special attention to the behavioral changes, stress, fatigue, and anxiety witnessed by you and you loved ones.
Why are People Facing a Mental Health Crisis Because of COVID-19?
There are a multitude of reasons because of which people are facing some form of stress, anxiety, or fatigue due to COVID-19:
1. Aftereffect of the Disease: While the long-term impact of the diseases is yet to be researched and analysed, some patients who successfully tested negative after they got infected by COVID-19 have shown symptoms of fatigue and a general disinterest in everyday activities like work. Over the coming years, as more researchers evaluate this specific area, the world will get a better understanding of the pandemic’s direct impact on mental health. Till then, if you or someone you know has just been tested negative after being infected by the pandemic, pay special attention to your mental health
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2. Anxiety Due to Lack of Information: In the initial days, everyone took time in trying to understand how to react to the pandemic. Some governments took a lot of time to react while WHO shifted a few policies here and there. While now the world has come together and got a clearer understanding of the pandemic and how to avoid it, many people are still feeling anxious about the lack of information available on the impact of COVID-19. Before the pandemic came across, this was not a family of highly-followed diseases. Hence, it is natural to feel a little disenfranchised when it comes to understanding the pandemic.
3. Stressed About Your Family’s Welfare: This also extends to your near and dear ones. Since practically everyone is at risk, some of us have been feeling highly stressed while thinking about the safety of our near & dear ones.
It wouldn’t be accurate to assume that self-isolation and lockdowns haven’t had an impact on people’s mental health. While we all have got a chance to work on our personal relationships due to the lockdown, some of us are still juggling between professional and personal responsibilities. Working parents are especially going through a tough time, managing between work and family-time at home.
Impact on Mental Health and the Government’s Response
The government of Australia has paid special attention to the possible risks to mental health. Specifically, here are the common areas the experts are concerned about:
- Depression and Suicidal Tendencies
- Fatigue
- Stress and Anxiety
- Persistent Insomnia
- Eating Disorders
The government has started taking active steps to not only mitigate these conditions but to proactively avoid them in the first place:
a. The Australian government has allocated as sum of $500 million to the mental health services initiatives. This will help the government provide resources in communities most at risk, and ensure that people are not undergoing severe mental stress while being responsible citizens and avoiding by the WHO/Australian Government’s guidelines on social-distancing, wearing masks, and avoiding group activities.
b. Modeled on the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s National Self Harm and Suicide Monitoring System, the National Cabinet has initiated a National Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Response Plan.
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Put together, these initiatives show that the government is taking the possible mental-health crisis seriously. If you find yourself or one of your loved ones or someone online in severe distress, please contact the medical professionals in your area at the earliest possible.
It’s a collective fight and with proactive citizenship, the government and the people can eradicate the risk of mental health conditions exacerbated by COVID-19.