Covid 19 pandemic has affected all of us in ways no one could really imagine. The unpredictability of the pandemic has swept all of us from our feet and placed us in the zone where uncertainty dominates. We often find ourselves perplexed and unsure. Seldom do we discuss the damage it is causing us mentally and psychologically. Furthermore, the reason for this is that we “Neglect our mental health” and think that since the repercussion of it is not physically precipitating, we can tackle it ourselves. However, we do not realize that if it is not managed, it can cause more harm over a period of time, leading to impairment in our overall well-being.
If we were to contemplate what pandemic has brought to us, we would realize that we stress more, worry more, and fear more. We are more anxious than ever. Sadness, aloofness, alienation haunts us. However, this is what is explicitly presented, and we see it all over electronic and print media. With the new wave of the pandemic, more problems are surfacing, and this time it is really affecting people across all age groups erratically. These problems are now not just frantically limited to what has always dominated the clinical picture. With the Modern-Day pandemic, it is pivotal that we understand the nature of the problems and understand the ways to manage and deal with them effectively. Professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, case managers, HR are often seen reporting that – “Many people aren’t even aware of what they are facing and are going through. They look and sound distressed and worried but are reluctant to do anything about it. What is more astonishing is that despite the concerns raised by people around them, they are convincingly dealing with it alone, thinking that with time it will subside”.
Most do not even realize that it will not settle down easy rather, it will subtly impact in ways that we will gradually discern. The first effect is on our physical health. Researches inevitably prove how a healthy mind and a healthy body go hand in hand. Without a healthy mind, expecting a healthy body is ill-considered. What can, however, be seen parallelly with the problems of stress, anxiety, fear of uncertainty which was earlier mostly external, are now problems that are paired up with the elements of “How productive am I?”, “How happy I am with my life and my partner”, “Am I making enough money”, “Is my family safe and healthy”, “Am I living a stable life” and finally “when will I get the job I want”. Pandemic has led everyone to introspect and reflect unsupervised to an infinite degree. Due to these, more people are questioning their self-worth, thus causing more stress and worry than usual, making them more susceptible and vulnerable to poor mental health conditions. Since the trend of seeking psychological aid is not prevalent in India, people are dealing with it alone and are creating a loop of cognitive distortions and thinking errors all by themselves. Furthermore, this is poorly affecting the mental health of people in India at large.
Thus, it is imperative that we rightfully manage, prevent and restrict its effects. The below-mentioned acronym would be a great way to move forward.
Step 1 -Have FAITH
Step 2- ACCEPT and ACKNOWLEDGE how you feel
Step 3- Stop IMAGINING the worse
Step 4- Take CHARGE of your life completely
Step 5-Seek PROFESSIONAL HELP
