What our country is facing today is something so unprecedented that various parameters of its effects may have been ignored or given less importance. The pandemic has brought with it a plethora of concerns among the public, ranging from oxygen supply to mental health. It seems that when the government is tied up with more pressing issues like providing vaccination and beds to ensure the survival of the people, mental health and its many attributes are turned a deaf ear to.
The people saw the world around them collapse in a matter of few weeks by a virus they cannot even control which resulted in fear and anxiety in many. This coupled with the news of many getting infected and dying has resulted in a surge of mental health issues among the people in the world. It is right to say that people did not take the news of quarantine and isolation well. Extroverts who were used to socialising found it hard to be by themselves and prolonged sadness resulted in depression in same cases. “This limitation that they face will ultimately lead to frustration, especially among children,” said Psychologist, Akshara Damle. He explained that the inability to predict the future creates anxiety which leads to panic attack at times. Many are afraid of not having control over their life and losing the ability to choose what happens to them the next day. The first year of covid saw a lot of suicide cases being reported in the Bengaluru city.
Psychologist Priyanka Bantwal notes how the policy makers have not taken into account the various problems that are faced by the people due to the present scenario. “People are living in a state of uncertainty and there is no clear help or support with regards to mental health,” she said. Instead of only emphasizing about lockdown guidelines, government can also introduce channels and networks through which people can reach out and avail support.
“People aren’t aware if there is any help for their emotional struggles. If any such services are created and offered, the policy makers should be vocal about it, making sure that distressed people can access it,” she stressed.
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