There is no doubt that the past 4-5 months have been a nightmare for most countries around the world due to the coronavirus pandemic. Apart from millions of people getting infected, deaths seem to be mounting, and businesses are going into extinct. Do you know that this virus has some adverse effects on your mental health? Are you aware that such results can bring about long term health implications when not addressed in the right manner? According to experts, tying to claim your mental health is not affected by this pandemic is like attempting to paper over the cracks. Pouted magazine reveals some of the ways your mental health is being affected by COVID-19.
1 The fear factor
This has been the number one factor responsible for most people experiencing poor mental health in recent times. The advent of the virus has created lots of fear in people from various countries around the world. According to experts, fear has the potentials of causing damage to some vital organs/parts of the human brain. The hippocampus is a typical example of such an organ. Most people see the virus as a death sentence once results show they have tested positive because of its high fatality rate. Fear in the case is usually familiar with aged people since medical experts claim they are the most vulnerable to the virus as compared to younger people. Furthermore, the daily news of hearing people getting infected and dying has created lots of panics.
2 The Stress
Lots of people have complained in various countries about the stress that comes with staying at home during the lockdown periods. According to them, it was very challenging given that they had to adjust to a lifestyle they aren’t used to. This has been discovered to have some adverse effects on their mental health. For instance, experts have found that stress can hinder your ability to make informed decisions. The reason for this is that your concentration level is low. Another effect of stress is the risk of suffering from depression. The lockdown period was a time when most people got disconnected from reality. For instance, they couldn’t visit friends and loved ones. Some had to engage in various exercise activities within the confines of their homes. These were all stressful in one way or another.
3 Its economic effects
Just as explained above, coronavirus pandemic has put the existence of some businesses under serious threats. The thought of your company is struggling to retain workers overnight is enough to affect your mental health. Even if you are an employer, it is still possible to suffer such a problem, given that businesses have been finding it hard to survive as activities are restricted.
Final thoughts
Based on the above, it is evident that the existence of COVID-19 has affected your mental health in various ways. It is all about looking for the most effective strategies that can help you overcome such challenges during these difficult times.