Nowadays Manisha is worrying excessively about her family’s hygiene and safety, so much so that she has not been able to sleep properly from the past few days.
“Her behaviour is weird these days. She asks the family members to wear face covers, maintain distance inside the house, and also to disinfect themselves every few hours. She has used antiseptics to clean every possible thing. She wakes up a number of times during the night to check if she has cleaned and disinfected everything,” her husband Sumit says.
He adds, “She has had no history of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) but now she freaks out if she sees anything un-sanitized. She even fears coronavirus might enter the house if we open the gate.”
A resident of Bishnah and a mother of two, Manisha is not alone facing the medical consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.
Shreya, a college student residing in Gandhi Nagar, says her depression has accentuated given that she has to spend the lockdown with family members including those she can’t get along with.
“Earlier, going out, attending classes, visiting places and meeting my friends – it was my escape from all the family fights and tensions. Not anymore,” she remarks.
She adds, “I wish the lockdown had somewhat improved the situation inside my house like it is doing outside – flattening the curve and reducing the pollution levels.”
Abhishek, a young marketing graduate, had returned to Jammu just a day before the first phase of lockdown was announced. He is employed with an IT start-up in New Delhi, and is now distraught with the implications the ongoing situation is having on his health and career.
“Staying at home for all of the day, every day, is making me anxious, stressed and fat. Ambivalence surrounding jobs, businesses and having no idea what should be done – can make anyone anxious. Also, because we have a lot of time, I am binge watching, binge eating, and sleeping for countless hours,” he says.
“My family is now regretting doing deep house cleaning, washing winter clothes, arranging house items during the first phase of lockdown. We have ourselves reduced our options of time pass,” he adds.
The COVID 19 crisis and the restrictive measures that the governments are taking to contain the outbreak are evidently having a negative impact on people’s mental health and well-being.
Dr Manu Arora, Consultant Psychiatrist, Government Medical College Bakshi Nagar, Jammu, says, “The public health emergency and the sudden announcement of lockdown were unprecedented for everyone, and the end to both is uncertain. Although the government intervention was necessary and has been able to control the spreading of infection, it is having a huge impact on the mental health of people not only in Jammu, but everywhere else.”
He mentions, “While it is natural to feel sad, worried and lonely due to being confined at a place with not much to do, the exaggeration of such condition is a cause of concern, and should be addressed carefully.”
According to Dr Manu, sometimes it is just in the head, while sometimes, it is a real problem.
“No one is immune to mental health issues. It is essential to provide psychological support to people who have had a history of mental issues as well as who are falling into the trap lately.”
He tells, “Various guidelines and advisories are being issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Government of India from time to time, and should be followed seriously. Advisories for public mental health have also been issued. Helplines have been set up and efforts are being made to provide online counselling to as many people possible. Doctors are available in hospitals for the support of patients. Still, it would need individuals to take care of themselves and others whom they know are in need of help.”
He suggests a few solutions, which are:
Use the lockdown period as an opportunity. Start with making a schedule for the day, such as when to get up from the bed, when to go to sleep, when to eat. Try to include some time for exercise and meditation, in addition to creative activities for enjoyment quotient.
If you are a student or a working person, you can prepare a schedule for that too, such as when to start working or studying and when to end, and how many breaks to take.
Another tip to stay resilient is maintaining a chart for what you’ll be eating in a day. Try including healthier options. A sudden change in dietary habits can also negatively impact one’s health, so prepare and eat what you like.
Stay away from fake news, speculations and rumours. Being aware of any topic is good but information overload is not. Rather, watch, read and tell positive stories to everyone you talk to. Tell them about the higher recovery rate in patients. Tell them about corona warriors and about their fight to safeguard people.
Take good care of all, especially children, senior citizens, pregnant women, sick people, etc. They need positivity and hope the most.
If someone is developing issues like OCD or delusions of being infected as a result of fear from the virus, don’t make fun of them. Explain to them rationally – how does it spread and high chances of the particular person being safe from it.
Those who are psychiatric patients already, should not discontinue their medicines and therapies. They should regularly talk to their doctors or meet them, if possible.
Communication with your family members, friends and colleagues, albeit remotely, is a key priority. Discuss with them about your day, your good deeds, a book you read, a movie you watched, a new thing you learned, and if you are facing any issue you’re your health.
Also: Read my article at THE NEWS NOW
Extended lockdown taking a toll on mental well-being
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