COVID-19 is a disease caused by the virus called as Corona. In COVID-19 CO stands for corona, VI for virus and D for disease.
Basically, Coronavirus is a respiratory virus that mainly spreads through droplets produced coughed or sneezed by an infected person or through droplets of saliva or nose discharge. The COVID-19 disease has now achieved pandemic status.
IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH
Coronavirus is infecting many people physically, but the people who are not affected physically have still become a victim of it mentally. It is causing distress and anxiety at individual and higher level.
The following are the main psychological conditions people are facing due to COVID-19.
LONELINESS
As a precaution of Coronavirus all the educational settings, workplaces, restaurant and parks are closed. So, people have to stay in their homes that makes them feel lonely sometimes. As we know that we are social animals. We love to attend and enjoy social gatherings. Therefore, being at home for all day long due to lockdown affecting them psychologically as they miss the outings and their friends which results in that they start feeling lonely.
SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION
We used to hear at social media is one of the main causes of mental illness and psychological issues. COVID-19 made people social media addict. People have nothing to do so, the only thing they are wasting their time on is social media like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, twitter and many more rather than being productive. Not only youth, but also the old age people. Being online all day and watching updates about Coronavirus is disturbing the mental health of the people. In this way Coronavirus impacting the people psychologically out there.
DOMESTIC VOILENCE
As a result of lockdown due to Coronavirus people are kind of unemployed, which is making them frustrated and they outburst their frustration on women and children in their homes which is becoming the main cause of domestic violence. Males are at home have no work and do not know how to earn which is affecting them psychologically. And the easy way they adapt to cope with their depression and frustration is to beat their wife and children.
TRAUMA AND SHOCK
Psychological trauma or shock is an emotional damage that happens as a result of a distressing event or situations. What else can be more distressing than a COVID-19 now a days. People whose loved ones are infected and died due to this are in another state of depression. They are alive, but dead inside and bodies without souls. They are still in trauma and shock of losing their loved ones. Their mental health is completely destroyed.
STRESS AND ANXIETY
Coronavirus disease outbreak may be stressful for people. Stress and anxiety about a disease can be debilitating in adults and adolescents and trigger intense emotions. Not everyone has equal capacity to deal with stress and anxiety. Stress during Coronavirus can include concern for your health and health of the people who are so close to you. Changes in sleep or eating habits and trouble sleeping is also impacting people on a large scale. It also results in the increased use of alcohol and drugs.
FEAR
During this pandemic situation, one thing that is common in every human behavior is fear. And it has great impact on them psychologically. Whether it is because they have lost a job or are scared to lose one. They are struggling to raise money to pay bills and they are concerned about their health and safety. The constant wave of worry and fear is leading to more mental health issues than ever before.
CONCLUSION
The increased rate of panic a person is experiencing on a daily basis due to COVID-19 shows that people are highly disturbed mentally and psychologically. They are using whatever ways to spend their time at their homes, which is leading them to some serious distress and depression. Some people are even not aware of this that they are damaging and destroying their mental health.
There is a slogan STAY HOME, STAY SAFE. It does not mean that only stay safe physically, but also mentally. SO, please utilize the time you have on productive things and work for your betterment.
Author Profile
- She is doing MS Psychology. She also wrote many articles regarding human psychology. Young and energetic about her profession. Helping out people to get rid of stress and depression.
