Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Apr 18: The mental health experts have raised alarm over the prolonging of the COVID-19 related stresses as it might cause extreme disorders and advised people to keep themselves busy.
The mental health experts said that the pandemic is taking a toll on the mental health of the people who are trapped in their homes due to the continued restrictions on movement in wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
They said that the fear of contracting the disease and loneliness have given rise to many mental health issues which might worsen if people ignore them. “People start with complaints of sleeplessness, low mood, fearfulness and panic attacks. If symptoms remain for two-three weeks in a person he should consult a psychiatrist,” Dr Seikh Shoib, a psychiatrist told Excelsior.
He said chances of developing stress-related features are more in people with an underlying mental health problem, “Threshold to bear stress varies from person to person. The worst thing is that the situation might trigger underlying stress and that can take any shape,” he said, adding that the people already suffering from mental health issues are more vulnerable.
The experts said that children and the elderly have a predisposition to stress-related features and families should take care of this age group. In addition, they said people who already are suffering from some diseases like hypertension, diabetes, endocrinological diseases or have family problems are high-risk groups. Another group is people with less family or social support.
The experts said people are confronting a unique situation which they have not witnessed before and that increases their vulnerability, “Day-to-day routine of people has been affected which has given rise to anxiety among the people. If the stress increases there are more dangers like the person gets worried about the future,” Junaid Nabi, a psychiatrist told Excelsior.
He advised people not to watch hyperbolic news channels and keep themselves busy with Yoga and exercises. “The exercise improves your mood. People should watch reliable news”, he said, adding that keeping yourself busy with house chores may also help to reduce the stress.
The psychiatrists of IMHANS have issued guidelines to deal with paranoia, fear, anxiety, and panic. They advised people to invoke their belief in destiny while exercising all the necessary precautions. “Practicing your faith in solace of your rooms will help you to connect with God like never before and help you to ward off anxieties,” reads the advisory.
The mental health experts have advised parents not to make children fearful. “Educate them (children) in a way that it doesn’t seem like the end of the world. When we teach our children how to cross a road, we don’t make them fearful talking about worst accidents, we just teach them how to be safe,” the advisory said.
He advised people not to watch hyperbolic news channels and keep themselves busy with Yoga and exercises. “The exercise improves your mood. People should watch reliable news”, he said, adding that keeping yourself busy with house chores may also help to reduce the stress.
The psychiatrists of IMHANS have issued guidelines to deal with paranoia, fear, anxiety, and panic. They advised people to invoke their belief in destiny while exercising all the necessary precautions. “Practicing your faith in solace of your rooms will help you to connect with God like never before and help you to ward off anxieties,” reads the advisory.
The mental health experts have advised parents not to make children fearful. “Educate them (children) in a way that it doesn’t seem like the end of the world. When we teach our children how to cross a road, we don’t make them fearful talking about worst accidents, we just teach them how to be safe,” the advisory said.
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