Mental Health and Psychological Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 is described as a disease with symptoms such as fatigue, cough and shortness of breath. The disease primarily targets the lungs. But COVID-19 is also taking a serious toll on the mental health of people. In fact, around 63% of the people in the US reported feelings of anxious or depressed due to coronavirus, according to a McKinsey national consumer survey. The mental health problems are even more common among people who have lost their job during the COVID pandemic.

The Impact of a Pandemic

According to Maslow's Theory of Human Motivation, there are different needs of a human being, which can be classified according to their importance. The most important and basic need is for food and shelter. Next comes the desire for safety. This is achieved by having certainty in life, a sense of order, and comfort. Third, humans have a deep desire for love and belongingness. This is achieved by having emotional and physical connection with other people. Plus, we also want to have a feeling of self-respect and esteem.

The coronavirus pandemic has managed to shake each layer of this hierarchy. Job losses or uncertainty about the economic future threatens our need for order, food and shelter. Plus, there is the constant fear of getting infected, which threatens our safety. In addition, the lockdown and need for social distancing are making it difficult to have emotional and physical connections with others. All these have a massive impact on our mental health.

The groups that are most affected by coronavirus are older adults and households with children or adolescents. The elderly are highly vulnerable to the virus. This can be extremely frightening for many. Also, higher risk means they have to follow social distancing much more stringently. This makes them prone to loneliness and anxiety.

In case of children, the closing down of schools and parks has led to a disruption in their daily lifecycle. The disruption caused by coronavirus not only impacts the mental health of children, but of parents as well.

Taking Care of Mental Health

An important part of staying healthy during a lockdown is to satisfy our need for companionship. Some of the steps that you can take to care of your mental health during the pandemic are:

1.Connect with your loved ones

You may be spending a lot of time online for work. After this, you may not want to stare at a screen! It’s very important, however, to connect with friends and family for your mental well-being. While phone calls and messages help you communicate, video conferencing works well to connect.

2.Find time for meditation

We seem to be surrounded by depressing news, with number of cases rising, people going through hardships to sustain their livelihood and protests in some parts of the world. All these can take more of a mental toll than we realize. Taking just 30 minutes off from your routine to relax your body and mind can help immensely. Meditation has proven to relieve stress, anxiety and depression, and improve our overall psychological health.

3.Have a new routine

Even if you are spending most of your time at home, it is important to follow a routine. You will need to have a new routine for the new normal world. But being regular with waking up on time, bathing and grooming yourself and exercising can have a positive impact on your mental health.

4.Plan Your Finances

Times of uncertainty can be less stressful if you are financially secure. For this, you may need to boost your savings. Invest in fixed deposits, mutual funds or put aside money in your savings account. Every little bit helps.

And if you do feel that your mental health is deteriorating during the COVID-19 pandemic, then seeking help from a medical professional can be a good idea.