5 Mental Health Issues People Are Dealing With During This Lockdown

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4 years ago

5 Mental Health Issues People Are Dealing With During This Lockdown

Lockdown measure was put in place by President Muhammadu Buhari on the March 29th of 2020 and was extended for another 14-days on the 13th of April. With restrictions placed on movements and work, and the restrictions allowing people to leave home only for essentials like groceries, medical help and petrol.

By the time the extension was announced people had started complaining bitterly about mental health issues, domestic violence and how the extension of having to stay in lockdown for a month in isolation could lead to; Depression, increased level of anxiety, agitation, loneliness, lack of self-fulfilment, screen zombieness.

Dr Colinda Linde, a clinical psychologist in Johannesburg, said that the terminology alone and isolation strikes fear among individuals.

“There’s a good reason the term lockdown makes people feel powerless and trapped; it’s a term commonly used in prisons, where the inhabitants are stripped of their freedom of choice and movement, that’s why to some extent some have compared the lockdown to being locked up or in jail”. Here below are 6 things you need to know, that people are dealing with mentally during this lockdown and might still have to deal with after the lockdown;

Depression and Increased level of Anxiety: People are feeling more and more anxious, and easily falling into depression and saddened as they keep seeing the [number] of cases and deaths increasing every day, with fear that it doesn’t get to them and one of their family members. I would advise stop calling people and telling them the number of deaths or cases has increased, rather just talk with and ask how they were doing, talk about their plans after the lockdown, share jokes and laughter that would help a lot more than give them death toll updates. Help them maintain a balanced mental health

Loneliness: Loneliness is another really terrible mental state, especially those who can’t cope with being alone or spending long duration, sitting doing nothing. Introverts might find this quite easy to deal with but most extroverts would find it quite really disturbing and hard to cope with. That’s why it’s best advised to isolate or practice social distancing with family and loved ones.
Easily Agitated: The fact that you don’t have much to do, very little to distract you, very little to put to dedicate your time to, could lead to anger making people easily agitated especially if the person is alone or in an abusive environment witnessing domestic violence and could be lonely even in the midst of people, where the person is understood less.
Lack Of Self-Fulfilment: People in lockdown, get to have a lot of time to think and reconsider some of their life decisions, what they did wrong and what could’ve done better. Such times could push a person to lose confidence and self-trust in their ability.
Screen Zoombieness: Now this has more to do with kids, Teens and young adults who are not in school and can’t allow get to go out and socialize. They gradually slip into being stucked on screens be it TV screens, Phone screens or laptops. Just some days back a person posted his to-do list and on it; waiting for giveaways on Twitter from 5 different celebrities and his next to do thing was for him to go on Instagram and also waiting for giveaways. Parents have to control the television time their kids and make sure they still read and do some maths every day during the lockdown so has to help keep them mentally sharp.
Financial Incapacitation: Economically most people have taken a serious knock; many cannot work online and are sitting waiting for the possibility to work (and earn) as soon as this period ends. Sitting with the worry about how you are going to survive, even if it’s just you or one family versus being an employer of many, is also taking a toll and raising levels of anxiety and depression.

What you can do to cope

It is important to reach out to friends and family telephonically and online where possible.

“While online contact can’t really replace the human touch, it is still a powerful means of remembering you are not alone,” says Linde. “It is important to create and maintain a routine,”

The structure of routine gives a sense of safety and support. Marsay suggests trying the following to manage your stress levels and to avoid being stuck in a rut:

Get up and get dressed at a designated time;
Get some sunshine, take evening strolls it would help relax the anxiety levels as you get to see other people but please remember to maintain social distancing.
Eat enough and as healthily as possible;
Get enough sleep and stick to a regular bedtime; and
Get enough exercise