Fear, worry, and stress are normal responses to perceived or real
threats, and at times when we are faced with uncertainty or the
unknown. So it is normal and understandable that people are
experiencing fear in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Faced
with new realities of working from home, temporary unemployment,
online classes for children, and lack of physical contact with other
family members, friends and colleagues, it is important that we look
after our mental, as well as our physical, health. Write an article
suggesting practical ways in which we all can protect our physical and
mental health and how in these changing times our definition of
“Normal World” has undergone a change.
Answers
Answer:
The COVID-19 crisis has created a “mental health pandemic” throughout the world. Scientific data are not available to fully understand the nature of the resulting mental health impact given the very recent onset of the pandemic, nevertheless, there is a need to act immediately to develop psychotherapeutic strategies that may alleviate pandemic-related distress. The psychological distress, in particular fear and sadness, is a function of the pandemic’s negative impact upon people’s ability to meet their most basic needs (e.g., physical safety, financial security, social connection, participation in meaningful activities). This paper presents evidence-based cognitive behavioral strategies that should prove useful in reducing the emotional suffering associated with the COVID crisis.
Mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicide were increasing in the U.S. well before the pandemic (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 2019). Thus, it is no surprise that the very recent “mental health pandemic” as a result of COVID-19 (COVID) will further accelerate the increasing prevalence of these disorders (Marques et al. 2020; Strakowski et al. 2020) as a result of its impact upon people’s day-to-day functioning (Brooks et al. 2020). Indeed, a recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 56 percent of people reported that the worry or stress tied to COVID had a negative effect on their emotional well-being (Panchal et al. 2020). Moreover, many individuals may attempt to cope with these negative psychological effects in unhelpful ways (e.g., alcohol/substance use) that can actually result in an increased susceptibility to COVID-19 (Da et al. 2020; Volkow 2020). Clearly, the COVID crisis is likely to have an enormous negative impact upon mental health if left ignored.
The pandemic has disrupted the ability to satisfy core human needs in almost all areas to an alarming extent (e.g., Brooks et al. 2020). Much of the population is worried about meeting their most basic needs (e.g., paying rent, buying food) as a result of economic hardship (e.g., unemployment) as well as an increasing scarcity of resources (e.g., food, cleaning products, personal protective equipment such as masks). People are living in a chronic state of fear of contracting the virus. Socially distancing and disconnecting rather than affiliating has increased loneliness and decreased social support, particularly in elderly and disabled populations and those with underlying health conditions. The artificial substitutes for social connection such as online video events often exacerbate, rather than relieve, the feeling of disconnection. People have been removed from the sources of activity that allow them to feel esteem, status, and pleasure (e.g., work, graduation ceremonies, weddings, engaging in sporting activities). The impact upon dating and finding a mate is profound in an era of remaining six feet from others and fearing any close contact may lead to transmission of the virus. Finally, for those who are parents, the stress of this role is enormous (e.g., home schooling, explaining the pandemic to young children), and certainly the idea that children will flourish in the present environment seems implausible.
Explanation:
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