COVID fatigue and the mental health pandemic
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Continued and prolonged stress coupled with exhaustion and worrying about the global pandemic which started making headlines in December 2019 is leading to pandemic fatigue, a term coined by scientists to explain the plethora of emotions people are feeling due to the challenges of being forced to isolate, countrywide lockdowns, school/university closures, loss of jobs and apparently no end in sight.
People are feeling emotionally burned out, defeated and demoralized, reporting higher levels of anxiety, depression and stress-- which leads to risky behaviors that can increase the spread of the coronavirus. According to a study conducted at UW Madison, alcohol and drug dependence are on the rise since the beginning of the pandemic.
A recent report from the WHO says COVID is now taking an emotional toll across the world with rising levels of apathy.
The WHO survey conducted across different countries in the European region, reveals that pandemic fatigue levels have surpassed 60 percent. People are feeling less motivated about following protective measures after being exposed to lockdowns and uncertainty for months.
Despite the collective global effort to combat the spread of the infection, there are more than 35 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in 188 countries and more than a million deaths.
According to most experts, COVID fatigue is to be expected since people have individually and collectively made huge sacrifices to contain its spread. This has come at an extraordinary and exhausting cost.
After experiencing a downward trend in infection rates since late July, Pakistan is once more faced with a rise in the number of cases and there are talks of a second wave of the infection. Over 100 cases were reported in a day from the twin cities after a lapse of 82 days.
With growing fears that another wave of the virus is about to hit Pakistan’s major cities, comes the fear that we may be heading towards more lockdowns. It is also becoming increasingly difficult for policy makers to strike a balance between health benefits and saving lives, versus the social, mental and economic disadvantages of declaring emergency lockdowns.
With growing fears that another wave of the virus is about to hit Pakistan’s major cities, comes the fear that we may be heading towards more lockdowns. It is also becoming increasingly difficult for policy makers to strike a balance between health benefits and saving lives, versus the social, mental and economic disadvantages of declaring emergency lockdowns.
Dr. Mehreen Mujtaba
People have already made huge sacrifices while complying with the lockdowns but it is becoming increasingly difficult for many to re-organize their lives around a risk that doesn’t seem real to them. Social media messages of conspiracy theories surrounding the disease are further compounding the situation, since most people are still removed from the consequences of getting infected.
Anxiety, fear, worry and stress are natural responses to perceived or real threats. The body releases cortisol as part of the fight or flight mechanism, which is considered public health enemy number 1.
Prolonged exposure to elevated cortisol levels interferes with learning, memory, lower immune function, increased weight gain, blood pressure, cholesterol and heart diseases. Elevated cortisol over prolonged periods also increases the risk of depression, mental illnesses and lower life expectancy.
According to health psychologists at UW Madison, once a person recognizes that they are experiencing symptoms of COVID fatigue, certain behavioral changes can better equip them to deal with the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic.
The first step to coping with the current situation is to accept that life is going to be different as well as difficult for a while, so trying to stay positive by adopting hobbies or activities which divert the mind is essential.
Secondly, it is okay for people to realize that they aren’t able to work full capacity during these unprecedented times and to cut themselves some slack. Over expecting can lead to anxiety and stress. For those working online from home, sitting for prolonged periods of time in front of their computers is leading to burnouts and the best way to cope with that is to use transitions during work, which can involve any activity the individual finds distracting.
Physical activity is imperative in these circumstances. The most important aspect of staying positive, according to the psychologists is to stop “doom scrolling” and limit social media exposure. Staying mindful of the type of news an individual is consuming can determine mental health outcomes.
It is important that government policies are based on understanding the needs of people and acknowledging the hardships they are facing. One important step is community involvement in decision making-- allowing people to live their lives, but reducing risk by looking at innovative ways to meet societal needs.
Constant surveillance and smart lockdowns are a viable option as opposed to countrywide lockdowns. This has also been reiterated by Britain’s WHO envoy Dr Davie Nabarro, who in a recent interview stressed upon the fact that global poverty and malnutrition are and will rise further if lockdowns are used by countries as their primary means of tackling the virus.
One thing seems clear: Once this pandemic is over, the next great challenge will be to flatten the mental health curve.
– Dr. Mehreen Mujtaba is a freelance consultant working in the areas of environment and health.
