Novel Coronavirus

Covid-19 and Mental Health

Fear, anxiety, and stress are normal responses to perceived or real threats and sometimes when we encounter uncertainty or the unknown. So it is common and understandable that people are experiencing fear in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic, unemployment and economic instability, disruption to education, social loneliness, fear of close partner and family violence, fear of life-threatening illness, and sudden loss of loved ones are all too common. All of these are risk factors for mental health conditions and behavioral problems such as depression and substance abuse disorders.

In addition to the fear of contracting a virus in an epidemic such as COVID-19, significant changes are made in our daily lives as our movements are restricted in support of efforts to stop and slow the spread of the virus. When faced with new realities such as working from home, temporary unemployment, having children at home, and not having physical contact with other family members, friends, and co-workers, we need to manage our mental, as well as our physical health.

• Bereavement
• Isolation
• Loss of income
• Insomnia
• Drug use
• Harmful alcohol
• Suicidal behaviour