There are cases in which many people have been facing problems related to jobs, finances, family problems before this current Pandemic.
These situations came to worsen motivated by the social isolation caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic. As stated by most psychologists, the numbers of patients with signs of depression and anxiety requesting appointments through virtual media and phone calls has increased considerably during this time of confinement.
The Pandemic has probably changed permanently our way of life, and this has brought uncertainty, altered daily routines, increased economic pressures and social isolation. You may worry about getting sick, how long the Pandemic will last, and what the future will bring.
All these elements cause levels of depression and anxiety for which it is necessary to take care of yourself and handle the situation with calm and sanity.
“The impact of the Pandemic on people’s mental health is already extremely worrying,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “Social isolation, fear of contagion, and loss of family members is compounded by unrest caused by loss of income and jobs in some cases.”
A large part of Anxiety cases are based on worrying about the unknown and waiting for something to happen: Coronavirus is that, on a macro scale.
The constant news about the Pandemic can be endless and this is causing the number of people suffering from depression and / or anxiety to rise.
When do you need to get help
Stress, depression and / or anxiety are normal psychological and physical reactions that occur at times when we usually feel some threat that destabilizes our mental health. We all react differently to difficult situations, and it is normal to feel stressed and worried during a crisis.
But multiple challenges, like the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic, can affect us beyond our coping capabilities.
Many people can experience mental health disorders such as symptoms of anxiety and depression during this time. Feelings can change over time.
Despite the best efforts, you may find yourself feeling helpless, sad, angry, irritable, hopeless, anxious, or afraid. You may have trouble concentrating on routine tasks, changes in appetite, body aches, or trouble sleeping, or you may find it difficult to cope with everyday tasks.
When these signs and symptoms last for days in a row, making you feel miserable and causing problems in your daily life so that you find it difficult to carry out your normal responsibilities, it is time to ask for help.
Depression and anxiety problems usually don’t go away on their own. Waiting for that to happen is giving the situation time to get worse. If you are worried, or if you notice that your mental health symptoms are getting worse, ask for help when you need it and be honest about how you feel.
The effects of anxiety, depression and loneliness due to COVID-19, is greater in young people
Young people between 18 and 40 years of age reflect less emotional self-care and have more anxiety, depression and feelings of loneliness in the face of the Coronavirus than people over 50 years of age. This is evidenced by the study of the Complutense University of Madrid on the psychological impact and residence of the Spanish population before COVID-19.
60% of the interviewees indicated that they have felt little interest or pleasure in doing things and have felt depressed or hopeless for several days.
Likewise, 70% of the people who have participated in the study admit having felt, for a few days, nervous, anxious or tense and more than half; 55% have felt that they were unable to stop worrying or control worry.
Regarding the feeling of loneliness, 45% of the sampled persons said they felt that they lacked companionship; a 73 recognizes that he has sometimes felt isolated from others; and 25% have felt excluded or discriminated against by their neighbors, with young people feeling the most loneliness and reflecting less emotional self-care.
For many people it is difficult to maintain an emotional balance due to the situation we are currently living, however, it is necessary and thus mandatory to remain calm, and trust that this adverse moments sooner rather than later will end.
