Abstract
This paper explores the two major preventive concepts of the unpredictable life-threatening viral infection caused by Coronavirus that is ravaging the entire world from the beginning of the year 2020, as it pertains to mental health. Through scientific consultations, the expectation is that effective vaccine for the Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) may not come into the market this year. Two (among others) preventive measures, namely Social Distancing and Quarantine are suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO). Using the principle of explorative research, this study established the flipside of quarantine and social distancing from the metal health perspective. It was discovered that there is a relationship between a long period of self-isolation and a high probability of concerned persons having anxiety, stress, and depression, which gradually leads to mental and emotional health issues. Consequently, mental health affects the overall health and affects how we handle different situations during the Covid-19 pandemic. By considering this important matter, this article recommended different ways to improve mental health during the pandemic in the quest to keep oneself away from psychological issues arising due to the Covid-19 situation.
Author Contributions
Copyright© 2020
Patel Jainish, et al.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Competing interests The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
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Introduction
The COVID-19 virus is a newly discovered virus belonging to the same family of SARS; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome viruses, as well as a couple of common cold viruses. On 11th March 2020, WHO announced the emergence of COVID-19 as a pandemic. Following this declaration, the world is faced with lockdown for which everyone is expected to stay indoors, alongside the fact that all educational institutes, recreational places, and malls are closed. Data from WHO reveals that Coronavirus has infected 15,117,078 people with 620,033 deaths worldwide as of 22nd July 2020 and continues to spread across the globe Many researchers investigate the adverse effects of self-isolation, commonly known as quarantine, and social distancing on mental health Self-isolation and social distancing are considered as the ultimate way of controlling and reducing the record of positive cases of the coronavirus infection across the globe. Besides affecting the physical activities, quarantine has a prodigious result on mental health, and it so has negative adverse effects on the psychological state of the people Anxiety is the most common concern of mental illness amongst the general public. Due to the current epidemic situation, it is on its increase amongst the general public, both youngsters and adults. The increasing rate of anxiety in adults is due to the lockdown situation. All work and social activities such as the educational institutes are closed and replaced with distance learning and staying at home Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can result in patients that are already suffering from anxiety issues Stress is also one of the common and lethal mental issues emanating during the pandemic as it causes several effects. It can occur for many reasons, including the fear of contracting the disease, loss of a job, and financial issues Insomnia Bad sleeping and eating habits Lack of concentration The excessive use of drugs It can even deteriorate other mental and health problems adversely Everyone responds differently against stress, and it depends on certain factors, including background, friends, family, partner, financial status, health, and society. However, people who are suffering from mental health issues already featured as homeless, having financial instabilities, disabilities, living in a minor group, children, teens, and front health line workers may react very strongly to the stress because of certain features affecting their mind Depression affects both mental and physical health. Besides changing the eating and sleeping patterns, it also affects the thoughts; it changes the person's perspective to see the world. According to WHO, 264 million people worldwide are suffering from depression because of the current pandemic. The condition is getting worse because people suffering from such mental health issues are more prone to contracting the disease, whereas getting the proper medication is also the main issue. After all, living in quarantine is preventing the sessions and other activities There are a lot of causes behind the mental and emotional health issues arising from Covid-19. These are uncertainties generated in public, leading to stress, anxiety, and depression. Some of these issues are fears of: Contracting the disease and transmitting it to others Death Loss of job, poor financial state and its impact on the household Not getting proper health treatment Limited food supply Social exclusion Powerlessness and helplessness Staying away from a loved one(s) and the inability to protect them Education (as the schools and universities are closed, and admissions are postponed) Boredom and loneliness because of social distancing There are specific ways to improve mental health during the pandemic to keep oneself and loved ones away from psychological issues: As most of the physical activities are reduced and also gyms, parks, etc. are closed. Efforts to remain physically active would help boost immunity, reduce blood pressure, control weight, and reduce the chance of strokes, diabetes, and several other diseases that have more chance in the case of persons already infected coronavirus Due to the pandemic, movements are restricted. People are working, teaching, learning and studying from home, lack of physical contact with friends and family, no social gatherings and activities, and temporary unemployment has burdened the mind, which in return results in several mental issues Make a routine and try to add all the activities from exercise to reading, from watching movies to cooking. Make sleep patterns better by sleeping early and getting up early. Schedule work routine along with the home routine and take proper rests at intervals. Make room for things you enjoy; read books, watch movies, and listen to music. Similarly, adding exercise and meditation in daily routine can help Watch official news channels on the television; reading verified news from official websites like that of WHO, CDC, can help keep the mind aware of all the information regarding the virus and precautions to take from time to time. But if watching such news makes a person feel distressed or uncomfortable, then it is recommended that watching such news be discontinued Using excessive drugs can further increase the chance of getting infected with the virus as it weakens the immune system Working, studying, and learning has increased screen usage, which is not a healthy sign for the body as it affects proper eyesight and can cause memory issues. Therefore, maintaining a gap when using the screen is essential. Also, its usage should be limited During quarantine, it is good to seize the time to increase in knowledge by reading books and articles. This will also help in remaining stress-free. Watching movies with good morals also serves as the right way of reducing stress Maintaining a healthy, nutritious diet would improve the body's ability to fight against certain diseases by boosting the immune system. Healthy dieting is considered one of the primary sources of prevention against Coronavirus Add a fresh variety of vegetables and fruits to diet, especially those containing vitamin C. Take proteins in the form of meat, eggs, milk, and fish. Intake of natural probiotics like yogurt will help to recover from GI problems. Also, taking wholegrain such as wheat, maize. Proper intake of rice and lentils is also necessary Across the world, schools are closed. Kids are at home and are affected more than adults as they feel more isolated, lonely, bored, and can develop certain types of fears. Hence, parents must find out ways to keep their kids out of these unhealthy situations. Engaging them in activities and discussions regarding the virus and other matters could be helpful. Also, tell kids specific stories and encouraging them to read books