By Parineeta Gupta
This lockdown has arguably been one of the biggest psychological tests ever. Young people are particularly more vulnerable to depression and anxiety. A historic wave of mental-health problems is approaching: depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide.
Depression is the most common problem during these unprecedented times, as people have an innate need for human contact. Being sat in front of a machine all day is no substitute for this and consequently, it becomes harder to overcome problems and reach out for help. Depression is the primary cause of suicide and anxiety due to social isolation, however experts and psychologists have not yet been able to determine whether the rate of suicide have increased during this period.
“I think during the actual crisis, suicide will be lower,” said Dr.Marianne Goodman, a psychiatrist at the Department of Veterans Affairs, in the Bronx. “And once the longer-term economic impact is felt, I suspect, suicide will be rising again.”
Noting the significant increase in the cases of depression among young children, many experts and psychologists have urged governments to allow kids and young adults to return to schools and universities in order to continue their education and partake in activities like sports.
Children have been seen to also become lonely which has drastically affected their mental health. According to the latest surveys, up to 65% of children are struggling from loneliness, boredom and feelings of isolation. They are being made to sit in front of a computer for long periods of time, which leads to less physical activity and a higher rate of depression. Absence of outdoor play can also lead to a higher rate of mental health issues.
Another major cause that has led to heavy depression and suicides is the economic recession. Many people around the world have lost jobs or have had pay cuts, which has burdened them with financial stress. They have been overwhelmed and not been able to cope up with the stress of finding a new job.
On the other hand, this lockdown has led to some positive mental impact on some people. Children have been able to cut off with toxic people from their lives, they have been given the time to work on themselves, discover their inner self a bit better, meditate to give peace to their minds, and take some time off from their everyday busy schedule.
“ I've gotten more time for myself and my hobbies, I spend more time with my family, learning to cook and you know become more independent.” said by Arushi Manjul a student in Abu Dhabi,
and a student from Dubai mentioned, “w/o the lockdown, I was forced (due to situations in school) to interact with people that were toxic to me and overall demotivated me from doing better and participating in extracurricular activities at school which made me a very boring person (someone I wasn't before). However, after the lockdown, I could cut out people from my life and wasn't forced to stay in contact with them and that has changed me for the better. I have changed as a person and it has impacted me immensely. So, I'm at a much better place in regards to my mental health.” So hence, we can say that this lockdown has positively affected people as well.
Overall, most of the countries are suffering from major psychological issues; India has seen a 20% increase in mental illness. It is suffering from a massive mental health crisis due to unemployment, alcohol abuse, economic hardship, domestic violence and indebtedness. But at the same time it is important for people to stay strong and patient so that we can come out of this together and stronger!
Edited by: Simoni Shah and Noelle Darts
Comments