Pandemic and mental disorder

What the common people and laymen have feared in the wake of the long-persisting coronavirus pandemic has now been confirmed by global mental health experts. A survey conducted by the WHO has established that in 93% of countries, the pandemic has thrown crucial mental health services into disorder. The Covid-19 has had more serious effects on health professionals than the common man, because the former are more vulnerable to contracting the disease as they have to work among a large number of patients. This is telling upon their mental well-being. They suffer from depression, anxiety, nightmares and a host of other psychiatric issues.

As for the general mass of the people, increasing uncertainties relating to jobs and other sources of livelihood together with the fear of death and disease have also increased the incidence of depression and anxiety. Many men and women have lost their jobs and suffered a big decline in income as a result of prolonged closure of their businesses. Large numbers who worked for these businesses have also lost jobs in the process. Loss of jobs and income on a large scale and being forced to avoid society for a rather long time as a preventive measure against the deadly disease have ballooned mental health issues. This situation has increased the cases of depression and anxiety leading to frequent quarrels within families, especially between man and wife. This has also led to a notable rise in violence against women, especially wife-spanking and divorce and separation breaking many homes with devastating effects on families.

The WHO has advised employers to be increasingly considerate, in these unprecedented times, to those working for their businesses. It has asked them to adopt measures to avoid stress and strain at the workplace in order to guard workers against anxiety and depression and take all possible steps to protect them from the deadly disease. Experts recommend physical exercise and participation in outdoor and indoor sports activities like swimming to prevent depression.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2021.

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