Let's talk about the pandemic



Since 2020 we have been living in a pandemic, this change in our life has affected many areas of our daily life. Starting for being isolated from our family, friends, and affective ties in our homes. On the other hand, for the government measures just the supermarkets, drugstore, gas stations, and other first needed services were opened, so all the recreative services are closed like cinema, museums, sports fields, amusement park, natural reserves, etc. And the big one, our hygienic habits; before the covid, when a person was ill didn´t use a face mask or washed her or his hands frequently, now because of the contagious of covid we must use a face mask in public, wash constantly our hands, cleaned our clothes and cellphones when we go out, etc. 
Due to all and more changes in our life, we have economic, political, and environmental troubles but I`m gonna focus on social and psychological problems. Firstly according to Serafini et al (2020), persons who have been exposed to the risk of infection, for example, need to work out of the house so they must use public transport, may develop generalized fears about their health, worries to infect family members or others. And this makes them "more vulnerable than other people to manifest worries if they experienced physical symptoms potentially linked to covid and fear that symptoms are closely associated with actively having the infection even several months after the exposure". A second problem is a persuasive anxiety thanks to isolation, people feel uncertainty about the future and fear of new and unknown infective agents. Plus, the anxiety linked to sensorial deprivation and pervasive loneliness causes at first insomnia and in the long term depression and post-traumatic stress. Similarly, this anxiety can cause the perceived lower social support, separation from loved ones, and loss of freedom. Another trouble is that distress, boredom, social isolation, and frustration cause abnormally reduced social/physical contact with others, and loss of usual habits. Finally, disabling loneliness cause by the isolation may be significantly associated with increased depression and suicidal behavior, also drugs and alcohol abuse are related to isolation and loneliness.
Considering all of the above, I think life after a pandemic will be more conscientious and  empathetic  about diseases and how much I could impact somebody´s health. I hope we care more about taking care of our relationships and mental health. Also, be aware of the unequeal system that we are in and want to make something about it. And I think unfortunately we will get used to wearing face mask in the streets, study and work in our houses, about social relations we will have trust issues and difficulties to knowing people.

Serafini, G., Parmigiani, B., Amerio, A., Aguglia, A., Sher, L., & Amore, M. (2020). The psychological impact of COVID-19 on mental health in the general population. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine113(8), 531-537.

Comentarios

  1. The mental health with the pandemic it goes from bad to worse :(

    ResponderEliminar
  2. Good work. In the first line it should say, living a pandemic, not living in a pandemic.

    ResponderEliminar

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