Psychological Effects On Patients Suffering From COVID-19
“COVID – 19” .. Even the slightest thought of this word brings out the negative emotions like anxiety, fear, restlessness among many people, be it a patient, non- patient, carrier and healthcare professional due to its infective potential.
The LOCKDOWN restrictions imposed by the Govt. lead to the turmoil in social, occupational, psychological, economic and mental status of all the people.
It is very obvious to feel upset and get demotivated. Any person who has the above symptoms may contact mental health professionals. Being aware that one is going through psychological breakdowns is the first step for therapy.
Talking to a professional, maintaining a routine and healthy lifestyle, taking a healthy diet, avoiding addictions in any form, participating in creative activities like music, singing, writing, painting, dancing may prove helpful in coping with stress.
Most of the COVID-19 patients are asymptomatic, the majority have mild symptoms and recover on their own. Unnecessary panic must be avoided. One must look at the current scenario in a positive manner . As suggested by Government authorities, following simple steps like wearing masks, social distancing and hand washing reduces the risk of exposure to the infection to a greater extent.
Plan It Right And Act On It
It’s natural to be concerned about unemployment, academic loss, risk of getting an infection, or in the worst-case scenario, getting self-quarantined. While these possibilities can be scary to think about, being proactive can help relieve at least some of the stress. Some of the tips are suggested below.
- Write down your worries that you have about how this pandemic situation is going to affect your life. If you start feeling overwhelmed, take a break.
- Make a list of all the possible solutions you can think of. Try not to stick to “perfect” options. Include whatever comes to mind that could help you to get of easily.
- Focus on concrete things you can solve or change, rather than circumstances beyond your control.
Stay away from unwanted news.
“What makes the news? Worst-case stories. When you’re consumed by the news, mindless terror takes over.
Actively remind yourself of reasons not to worry
“Ask yourself: what are all of the reasons I should feel safe? Why should I not be afraid?” Reassure yourself with precautionary measures you’re taking like washing your hands and staying away from social gatherings. Counter your fear and be deliberate in your defense.
Occupy your mind with relaxing hobbies
Develop your interest in creative things, pursue your hobbies like listening to good motivational music, playing any kind of instrument like piano, reading a book, painting, doing some meditation,all of these activities can help calm your mind.
Stay Connected
Humans are social animals. We’re hardwired for connection. Isolation and loneliness can exacerbate anxiety and depression, and even impact our physical health. That’s why it’s important to stay connected as best we can and reach out for support when we need it.
Call and connect to a friend.
Share a joke, laughter on phone or via WhatsApp, talking to people has been proven to reduce depression and feelings of anxiousness.
- Make it a priority to stay in touch with friends and family.
- As in-person visits are limited, video chatting has substituted the visits. Face-to-face contact is like a “vitamin” for your mental health, reducing your risk of depression and helping ease stress and anxiety.
- Social media can be a powerful tool for connecting with friends, family, and acquaintances and also for getting connected in a greater sense to our communities, country and the world. It reminds us we’re not alone.
- Coronavirus should not be included in our conversations. Take breaks from stressful thoughts about the pandemic to simply enjoy each other’s company—to laugh, share stories, and focus on other things going on in our lives.
Emotions are contagious, spread the joy of happiness.
Rejuvenate Your Body And Spirit
This is an extraordinarily trying time to apply all the management strategies, such as eating healthy meals, getting plenty of sleep, doing physical workouts at home, meditating, spending quality time with family and exploring your talents. Beyond that, here are some tips for practicing self-care in the face of the unique disruptions caused by the coronavirus.
Find Ways To Exercise.
Staying active will help you release anxiety, relieve stress and manage your mood. As you’re stuck at home, look for online exercise videos that you can follow. There are many things you can do even without equipment, such as yoga and exercises that use your own body weight.
Helping Others Will Make You Feel Better
Helping others not only makes a difference to your community at this time—it can also support your own mental health and well-being. Doing kind and helpful acts for others can help you regain a sense of control over your life—as well as adding meaning and purpose.
Follow guidelines for preventing the spread of the virus
Follow the guidelines by staying at home, washing your hands frequently and avoiding contact with others. It can help save the lives of the most vulnerable in your community and prevent overburdening the healthcare system.
Helping old, elderly people and those in need
You can help people in your community who are isolated—particularly the elderly or disabled. Perhaps an older neighbor needs help with groceries or fulfilling a prescription. You can always leave packages on their doorstep to avoid direct contact. Or maybe they just need to hear a friendly, reassuring voice over the phone.
Be a calming influence.
If friends or your loved ones are panicking, try to help them out with good motivational thoughts.Being a positive, uplifting influence in these anxious times can help them feel better and secure.
Be kind to others.
An infectious disease is not connected to any racial or ethnic group. With the right outlook and intentions, we can all ensure that kindness and charity spread throughout our communities even faster than this virus.
Fortunately, there are lots of things that we can do to look after our own mental health and to help others who may need some extra support and care. Together we can and we will fight against this pandemic and come out of this situation safely.
The way to come out of this negative psychological situation is to have a positive mindset. Only a positive attitude can help in coming out from a negative situation. While many of these psychological impacts still continue to disturb people, changes in our lifestyle might help to come out of stress. Yoga is a great way to maintain physical health as well as a healthy mind. Being connected with our beloved ones may help out many people to remain secure and active. Building up immunity, both physical and mental might be a possible attempt on our part to survive this pandemic and come out of it as stronger individuals.
