Depression, anxiety on the rise

Neurologists say pandemic also affecting mental health

ISLAMABAD:

Discourse on novel coronavirus and its impact on brain health has taken centre stage on World Brain Day observed on Wednesday to create awareness and promote advocacy of brain health.

The World Federation of Neurology (WFN) marks World Brain Day marked on July 22 to highlight the importance of brain health and prevention of brain diseases, a largely underestimated health problem. The 2020 theme was Parkinson's disease.

Medical experts say that the pandemic also affects the brain like the rest of the body. The coronavirus affects the brain's ability to smell and taste, while the decision-making power is also severely reduced.

According to Shifa International Hospital (SIH) Consultant Neurologist Dr Maimona Siddiqui everyone is worried about the Covid-19 pandemic nowadays. She said people should be made aware that prevention was the best prescription against the pandemic.

Dr Maimona said: “hundreds of patients come to us complaining of fear of catching coronavirus…this fear has made them suffer from diseases like depression and anxiety.”

Regarding brain health she said that according to new research, good diet and healthy mental activity are also the most important reasons to prevent mental illness.

Adopting SOPs advised by the government are enough prevention against the pandemic, however, taking undue stress could affect brain health.

Speaking to the Express Tribune on the occasion of SIH Associate Consultant Neurologist Dr Muhammad Farhan Khan said that neurological and mental diseases are caused and aggravated by aging.

For example, stroke, dementia and Parkinson's are common neurological disorders in older people, Dr Farhan said adding it is now increasingly clear that the rates of neurological diseases such as stroke and dementia are steadily rising and as a result the pressure on basic health system is greatly increasing.

Older people in particular are being hit harder, he said. It should be noted that experts believe that about 10 to 20 per cent of people between the ages of 60 and 80 suffer from one of the above diseases.

Age and genetic factors are a major cause of stroke and dementia which cannot be controlled but there are some factors that can be controlled, such as high blood pressure, diabetes etc.

Eating a healthy diet such as green vegetables, fruits and fish lowers cholesterol and protects against stroke and dementia.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2020.