Take note of your Mental Health to Combat Covid-19

Shruti Jain, INN/Gwaliar, @ShrutiJ07108490

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment.

Older people and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop severe illness.

The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about the COVID-19 virus, the disease it causes, and how it spreads. Protect yourself and others from infection by washing your hands or using an alcohol-based rub frequently and not touching your face. 

The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes, so it’s essential that you also practice respiratory etiquette (for example, by coughing into a flexed elbow).

At this time, there are no specific vaccines or treatments for COVID-19. However, many ongoing clinical trials are evaluating potential therapies. WHO will continue to provide updated information as soon as clinical findings become available.

How the coronavirus came into existence? 

The disease appears to have originated from a Wuhan seafood market where wild animals, including marmots, birds, rabbits, bats and snakes, are traded illegally. Coronaviruses are known to jump from animals to humans, so it’s thought that the first people infected with the disease – a group primarily made up of stallholders from the seafood market – contracted it from contact with animals.

The hunt for the animal source of Covid-19 is still unknown, although there are some strong contenders. A team of virologists at the Wuhan Institute for Virology released a detailed paper showing that the new coronaviruses’ genetic makeup is 96 per cent identical to coronavirus found in bats.

At the same time, an as-yet-unpublished study argues that genetic sequences of coronavirus in pangolins are 99 per cent similar to the human virus. Some early cases of Covid-19, however, appear to have inflicted people with no link to the Wuhan market at all, suggesting that the initial route of human infection may pre-date the market cases.

The Wuhan market was shut down for inspection and cleaning on January 1, but by then it appears that Covid-19 was already starting to spread outside the market as well. On January 21, the WHO Western Pacific office said the disease was also transmitting between humans – evidence of which is apparent after medical staff became infected with the virus.

Since then, evidence of widespread human-to-human transmission outside China has been well established, making chances of containing the virus much harder.

Impact of Corona Virus On Mental Health

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.

Coronavirus has plunged the world into uncertainty, and the constant news about the pandemic can feel relentless. All of this is taking its toll on people’s mental health, particularly those already living with conditions like anxiety and OCD. So how can we protect our mental health?

Being concerned about the news is understandable, but for many people, it can make existing mental health problems worse.

When the World Health Organization released advice on protecting your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak, it was welcome on social media.

As Anxiety UK’s Nicky Lidbetter explains, the fear of being out of control and unable to tolerate uncertainty are common characteristics of many anxiety disorders. So it’s understandable that many individuals with pre-existing anxiety are facing challenges at the moment.

“A lot of anxiety is rooted in worrying about the unknown and waiting for something to happen – coronavirus is that on a macro scale,” agrees Rosie Weatherley, spokesperson for mental health charity Mind.

How to cope with mental health issues in this situation?

 

Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations.  How you respond to the outbreak can depend on your background, the things that make you different from other people, and the community you live in.

People who may respond more strongly to the stress of a crisis include

• Older people and people with chronic diseases who are at higher risk for COVID-19
• Children and teens
• People who are helping with the response to COVID-19, like doctors and other health care providers, or first responders
• People who have mental health conditions including problems with substance use

 

If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel like you want to harm yourself or others call

• 911
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746. (TTY 1-800-846-8517)

 

Stress during an infectious disease outbreak can include

• Fear and worry about your health and the health of your loved ones
• Changes in sleep or eating patterns
• Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
• Worsening of chronic health problems
• Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs

 

People with pre-existing mental health conditions should continue with their treatment and be aware of new or worsening symptoms. Additional information is available at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website.

Taking care of yourself, your friends, and your family can help you cope with stress. Assisting others to cope with their stress can also make your community stronger.

Necessary things to keep in mind in the current scenario. 

1.Things you can do to support yourself

• Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
• Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditateexternal icon. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugsexternal icon.
• Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
• Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.

 

Call your healthcare provider if stress gets in the way of your daily activities for several days in a row.

Sharing the facts about COVID-19 and understanding the actual risk to yourself and people you care about can make an outbreak less stressful.

When you share accurate information about Covid-19 you can help make people feel less stressed and allow you to connect with them.

 

2. For parents

 

Children and teens react, in part, on what they see from the adults around them. When parents and caregivers deal with the COVID-19 calmly and confidently, they can provide the best support for their children. Parents can be more reassuring to others around them, especially children if they are better prepared.

 

Not all children and teens respond to stress in the same way. Some frequent changes to watch for include

• Excessive crying or irritation in younger children
• Returning to behaviours, they have outgrown (for example, toileting accidents or bedwetting)
• Excessive worry or sadness
• Unhealthy eating or sleeping habits
• Irritability and “acting out” behaviours in teens
• Poor school performance or avoiding school
• Difficulty with attention and concentration
• Avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past
• Unexplained headaches or body pain
• Use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs

3. 3. Things you can do to support your child

Take time to talk with your child or teen about the COVID-19 outbreak. Answer questions and share facts about COVID-19 in a way that your child or teen can understand.

• Reassure your child or teen that they are safe. Let them know it is ok if they feel upset. Share with them how you deal with your stress so that they can learn how to cope with you.
• Limit your family’s exposure to news coverage of the event, including social media. Children may misinterpret what they hear and can be frightened about something they do not understand.
• Try to keep up with regular routines. With schools shut, create a schedule for learning activities and relaxing or fun activities.
• Be a role model. Take breaks, get plenty of sleep, exercise, and eat well. Connect with your friends and family members.

4. For people released from quarantine

Being separated from others if a healthcare provider thinks you have been exposed to COVID-19 can be stressful, even if you do not get sick. Everyone feels differently after coming out of quarantine. Some feelings include :

• Mixed emotions, including relief after quarantine
• Fear and worry about your health and the health of your loved ones
• Stress from the experience of monitoring yourself or being monitored by others for signs and symptoms of COVID-19
• Sadness, anger, or frustration because friends or loved ones have unfounded fears of contracting the disease from contact with you, even though you have been determined not to be contagious
• Guilt about not being able to perform regular work or parenting duties during the quarantine
• Other emotional or mental health changes

Children may also feel upset or have other strong emotions if they, or someone they know, has been released from quarantine.

Changes you need to make in your environment for better mental health.

 

1. Limit the news and be careful what you read

Reading a lot of news about coronavirus has led to panic attacks for Nick, a father-of-two from Kent, who lives with anxiety.

“When I’m feeling anxious my thoughts can spiral out of control, and I start thinking about catastrophic outcomes,” he says. Nick is worried about his parents and other older people he knows.

“Usually, when I suffer, I can walk away from a situation. But this is out of my control,” he says.

Having long periods away from news websites and social media has helped him to manage his anxiety. He has also found support helplines, run by mental health charities, useful.

• Limit the amount of time you spend reading or watching things which aren’t making you feel better. Perhaps decide on a specific time to check in with the news
• There is a lot of misinformation swirling around – stay informed by sticking to trusted sources of information such as government and NHS websites

2. Have breaks from social media and mute things which are triggering

Alison, 24, from Manchester, has health anxiety and feels compelled to stay informed and research the subject. But at the same time, she knows social media can be a trigger.

“A month ago I was clicking on hashtags and seeing all this unverified conspiracy rubbish, and it would make me anxious, and I would feel hopeless and cry,” she says.

Now she is careful about which accounts she tunes into and is avoiding clicking on coronavirus hashtags. She is also trying hard to have time away from social media, watching TV or reading books instead.

3. Mute vital words which might be triggering on Twitter and unfollow or mute accounts. 

4. 4. Mute WhatsApp groups and hide Facebook posts and feeds if you find them too overwhelming

• For Lily Bailey, author of Because We Are Bad, a book about living with OCD, fear of contamination was one aspect of her obsessive-compulsive disorder. She says the advice about handwashing can be a massive trigger for people who have recovered.
• “It’s tough because I now have to do some of the behaviours that I’ve been avoiding,” says Bailey. “I’m sticking to the advice rigidly, but it’s hard, considering that for me, soap and sanitiser used to be something comparable to addiction.”
• Charity OCD Action says the issue to look out for is the function – for example, is the washing being carried out for the recommended amount of time to reduce the risk of spreading of the virus – or is it being done ritualistically in a specific order to feel “just right”?
• Bailey points out that for a lot of people with OCD, getting better means being able to leave the house – so self-isolating can present another challenge.
• “If we’re forced to stay at home, we have lots of time on our hands, and boredom can make OCD worse,” she says.

5. Stay connected with people

• Increasing numbers will join those already in self-isolation so now might be a good time to make sure you have the right phone numbers and email addresses of the people you care.
• “Agree regular check-in times and feel connected to the people around you,” says Weatherley.
• If you’re self-isolating, strike a balance between having a routine and making sure each day has some variety.
• It might end up feeling like quite a productive two weeks. You could work through your to-do list or read a book you’d meant to get to.

6. Avoid burnout

With weeks and months of the coronavirus pandemic ahead, it is important to have downtime. Mind recommends continuing to access nature and sunlight wherever possible. Do exercise, eat well and stay hydrated.

AnxietyUK suggests practising the “Apple” technique to deal with anxiety and worries.

• Acknowledge: Notice and acknowledge the uncertainty as it comes to mind.
• Pause: Don’t react as you usually do. Don’t react at all. Pause and breathe.
• Pullback: Tell yourself this is just the worry talking, and this apparent need for certainty is not helpful and not necessary. It is only a thought or feeling. Don’t believe everything you think. Opinions are not statements of facts.
• Let go: Let go of the idea or emotion. It will pass. You don’t have to respond to them. You might imagine them floating away in a bubble or cloud.
• Explore: Explore the present moment, because right now, at this moment, all is well. Notice your breathing and the sensations of your breath. Notice the ground beneath you. Look around and notice what you see, what you hear, what you can touch, what you can smell. Right now. Then shift your focus of attention to something else – on what you need to do, on what you were doing before you noticed the worry, or do something else – mindfully with your full attention.

• Mental health and psychosocial considerations during the 
• COVID-19 outbreak 

Some quotes by great people which will better your mental state. 

1. . “This feeling will pass. The fear is real but the danger is not.”― Cammie McGovern
2. “What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed conversation.” –Glenn Close
3. “It doesn’t have to take over your life, it doesn’t have to define you as a person, it’s just important that you ask for help. It’s not a sign of weakness.” —Demi Lovato
4. “If we start being honest about our pain, our anger, and our shortcomings instead of pretending they don’t exist, then maybe we’ll leave the world a better place than we found it.” – Russell Wilson