Mental health and Covid-19

Written by: Ashwot Acharya - 22021, Grade XI

Posted on: 22 April, 2021

As defined by the world health organization  (WHO) mental health is a state of well-being in which the person recognizes his own ability and can cope with normal problems and tensions of life. The main problem is when our mental health starts to degrade. The degradation in mental health is caused by various factors in society and even the way he grew up. 

We all know that mental health is important. But why exactly is it so important as said by others? In simple words degradation of mental health causes a lot of problems for the individual, it leads to anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, etc. According to WHO more than 800,000 people die due to suicide, almost one suicide every 40 seconds. This is a very serious issue. On top of that, the covid has a very negative effect towards the mental effect of the person. 

In our country, Nepal, an estimated around 1647 people have committed suicide during the lockdown. Covid-19 has caused a serious issue in mental health. Covid has caused a sense of fear, anxiety for all but it’s even more painful, difficult for those who went out of their hometown , away from family to earn money. Some gave up , and found sucide to be a better option which is never true. 

Fear, Stress, worry are normal to  threats especially in pandemic like Covid. The realization of change of being faced with new reality can be really difficult in times. It can be stressful, overwhelming and can cause strong emotional distress in adults as well as in childrens.

Stress can be caused by various factors like fear, anger, sandness , worry, change in appetite etc. A simple yet effective way of coping with mental health issues and stress would be to take a break and relax . It's always good to keep your mind calm all the time. Getting up early and doing some light exercise in your home and taking care of your body is also another way of getting rid of stress.

Everyone is facing the same if not very similar situation as understanding these sorts of things helps in getting relieved from different stress. Taking care if your mental mind is really necessary.

If you are having a bad time, try connecting with people from far away, this gives you another way to view the world. Doing these sorts of refreshing activities can help you overcome mental degradation, and is a great way to relieve stress.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_health

https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/covid-19

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html

https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/suicide-data