COVID-19 And Its Impact On Mental Health: Experts Weigh In On The Details

The COVID-19 pandemic opened up a Pandora's box of mental health issues. The beginning of the pandemic brought with it a fear of catching infection of this virus, which went on to get dissolved in many people but also precipitated an anxiety disorder in many. The other mental health problems ranged from mild anxiety and low mood to severe depressive episode in all ages of the population. Along with this, pandemic came with its own set of challenges for working people. A majority of people lost their jobs, or had to change their jobs due to the shutdown of their companies.

Businessmen and self-employed people found it difficult to sustain their work due to the lockdown being imposed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. This measure which was meant as a public health reform, shook the foundations of many people. The ones lucky enough to be able to continue working were indeed very lucky. They got the opportunity which came only once in a blue moon for them, and their happiness knew no bounds. They got to stay home from work, without even taking a leave and that too being enforced by law.

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Impact of work from home on mental health 

That's how we got introduced to a whole new meaning of the phrase "Work from home", a very uncommonly used phrase in those days. While some suffered a loss of pay, many enjoyed the benefits of a full pay even while sitting at home and working. It was a welcome change at first, giving a sigh of relief to those who over worked themselves and stayed away from their loved ones. But as the people started enjoying this, they also came across the challenges that came with it. Staying at home and working meant you could sit your comfortable attire like night suits or pyjamas the entire day, not caring about your lifestyle. The same was the reason many ended up gaining weight during lockdown.

Employees were often made to work overtime as the workload increased due to losses faced by the companies. There were no limitations of working hours and many employers exploited the condition of the employees to their benefit. The employees were made to compensate for every penny they earned. To spend time at home with their family looked like such a boon to many, only to turn into a sorrow as they began to fight with those very people.

People got stuck at home

Working from home meant being all the time with parents, partner, spouse and children. Many people couldn't deal with this and there was a rise in family conflict and marital conflicts. Balancing the work-life and personal life was difficult as it is, but the work from home added on the stress.

There was an increase in cases of domestic violence, physical and verbal abuse. Many people resorted to substance use to cope with the stress and anxiety, albeit ineffectively. There was an increase in the cases of nicotine dependence, alcohol use disorder among others. This added to the already strained relationships and occupational dysfunction already existing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many are calling it a mental health pandemic as clinicians saw a rise in the cases of anxiety disorder and depression. Patients with already existing disorders, who were maintaining well on medication and psychological therapies also relapsed as they couldn't avail medical services due to restricted movement during the lockdown. People were unable to indulge in their outdoor activities like walking, running and pursuing their hobbies as well.

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When kid get schooled at home

Working parents faced challenges in managing their work. Their children were at home now throughout the day instead of being at school. This challenged the parenting styles, leading to further conflicts.

The working parents had to manage their children and their work which was now more demanding than ever. The education of students also took a hit in the initial months of lockdown. The schools and colleges also came up with an innovative idea further expanding work of home. The students now had online classes to cover up for the study hours lost and the working parents now had to work in double shifts to cover up their work as well as the online classes of their children. Every solution that was put across to deal with the pandemic's impact instead had an even greater impact on the mental health of working people. The challenges faced by them saw a surge of mental health issues, indicating more and more the lack of awareness about mental health in the population and the need for initiatives targeting the same in a more effective and efficient manner.

All of this boils down to one thing: the urgent need of increasing conversation around mental health, normalising mental health concerns and working towards the taboos surrounding them.

Also read: Here's How Lockdown Led To A Rise In Kidney Ailments

(Dr Anant Agarwal, Consultant Psychiatrist and Dr Minny Jain, Consultant Psychiatrist, Meddo Perspective Psychiatric Centre)

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