Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health and the Stigma of Mental Illness

It started out with the news about the new virus that emerged in China that had claimed many lives. However, here in Nepal, we didn’t take it seriously. Of course not! Why would we? It’s not something that was happening in our country, right? As the news of rising cases in China emerged, and even about the spread of the virus in other countries, people in our country still took it lightly. I even heard people say that Mount Everest would shield us from the virus, as it won’t be able to climb so high. It made me laugh. People also started saying religious things like: “Pashupatinath will save us! We, the people of Nepal, have strong immunity, so corona is not going to do us any harm.” But, were we right to assume that? Or was it just our coping mechanism that was at play? As the cases started to rise in Nepal, lockdown was imposed. Gradually, fear started to creep in. Fear of uncertainty.

Yes, some of us were still in a phase of denial, but the reality was serious. All of our lives had changed. No one could do anything about that. Everything just seemed so uncertain. I guess the uncertainty of it was the most troublesome of it all. Uncertainty of everything—job, finances, education, socialization—life as a whole was uncertain!

Then, the contact tracing also began alongside the initial lockdown. The funny side of it was that prior to COVID-19, everyone would be boastful about their travels abroad. But, now it was a hush, hush situation. Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. The number of cases continued to rise, and so did the fear inside people’s hearts. The thought of contracting COVID-19 and the uncertainty caused by it was not the only thing that was troubling people now. Some people were down on the streets even during the lockdown. Helpless! They were the people who labored throughout the day to have a day’s meal at night. As the financial burden increased, protests began: “Do we die of fear, or do we die of hunger?” But, that’s a whole different story. Amidst of all this, there were a lot of people experiencing sleep disturbances, and also changes in their mood. A lot of people felt anxious, many felt sad, and most didn’t know what was happening and why it was happening to them. A lot said that the next pandemic would be one of psychiatric illnesses.

When I recall back, I remember feeling grateful that I and my loved one’s weren’t born during World War One and Two. However, now we are actually living in an era of a pandemic. Although being a health professional myself, a psychiatrist, to be more specific, the COVID-19 pandemic hit me hard. It hit me real hard. Not physically, but mentally. My symptoms ranged from difficulty in falling asleep to having palpitations and feeling anxious and stressed out to the point that I would start having a migraine. Every time I saw the news, I would have such symptoms. But, gradually, I learned to put myself back together.

 

But then I wondered. Are the others around me able to put themselves back together? Are they able to be in control of the situation? Some might have been able to, but others might not have been so lucky. Then, the question arises again. For those who aren’t doing so well emotionally and mentally at this moment of time, are they getting the professional help they require? Are they able to seek for that professional help, or is there something holding them back? Then, I get struck with the realization that the stigma of mental illness has been there since ages. It’s not something that is going to go away just like that. Obviously, it must be acting as one possible barrier to seek professional help for mental health issues. So, I truly believe that the problem, first of all, is the stigma. Yes, the stigma! OMG! What will people say? What will they think? What if they find out?

I believe that the stigma of mental illness is basically due to the misunderstanding that people have of mental illness. Otherwise, why would the most important organ of our body, the brain, be so neglected? I think it is safe to say that our brain and the central nervous system control all the vital functions of the organs and systems of our body. Yet, when our mind is in chaos, it is just shoved and hushed away. Most importantly, when we get hurt, fall and break a leg, for instance, we rush to the hospital immediately. No one says, “Just walk it off! It will get better by itself.” It would be stupid, utterly insane, as a matter in fact, to say something like that, right? But, when it comes to having an emotional dysregulation and some form of mental health issues, why do we shy away? When it comes to the most important organ of our body, the brain, why do we hear people say: “It’s all in your head. Just be strong and it will go away. Just shake it off!” Where is the logic in that?

However, I would like to believe that we are salvageable. I would like to believe that it is misunderstanding of mental illness that has led to the stigma associated with it. I also, for instance, believe that people’s perspective towards mental illness is changing. In Nepal, after the 2015 massive earthquake and the Maoist insurgency prior to the earthquake, a lot of people suffered from mental health issues. It is then that people in our country started becoming more aware of the importance of mental health. Maybe ever so slightly, but acceptance towards it began. Now, we are in the middle of a pandemic. I have noticed one good thing that this pandemic has brought in our society—the increasing acceptance and awareness of mental illness and mental health related issues—the fact that mental health is equally as important as physical health. The stigma is gradually being lifted away.

With that being said, what do we do at times like this to be mentally/psychologically/emotionally healthy? These following points helped me, and maybe, might be of some help to you all during this hard time, as well.

1. Acknowledgement: First of all, acknowledging our feelings and why we are feeling the way we feel is the key. Stop denying the fact that we are going through emotional dysregulation at this time. It’s OK not to feel OK. After all, we are only human.
2. You are not alone: A significant number of people, worldwide, are going through this emotional turmoil due to COVID-19. No wonder it’s called a pandemic, but we will get through this.
3. Ventilate: Talking to a trusted individual about your feelings sheds off the load. If there is no one to share it with, just write it down in a piece of paper. Try it, you will see that it does help, even if it’s just a bit.
4. Take out time for yourself: It could be as simple as brewing a cup of coffee and taking time to enjoy every sip of it.
5. Do something good for others: Whether it is an act of kindness

or some form of physical help, it has a powerful effect on one’s own emotional well-being.

6. Try deep breathing exercise: Take a long deep breath through your nose, hold it for a few seconds, and then breathe out through your mouth. Do this for about five minutes, two to three times a day, or whenever you feel overwhelmed. Be cautious not to hyperventilate.
7. Do not hesitate to seek professional help: If you feel that things are getting out of control, come forth and seek help. Consult a doctor, not just any doctor, consult a psychiatrist!

Together, let’s break the stigma and take care of our mental health