Are there really consequences of the pandemic on our emotional and mental health? Yes, the loneliness, the helplessness and the uncertainty experienced during the pandemic are already warning signs all over the world.
Much has been written about the negative effects on people’s mental state and mood after the pandemic.
Some now dare to talk about it because they associate it with the pandemic, so this takes away a bit of the stigma of “you can’t be doing badly emotionally”, but there is still a long way to go for people to talk more openly about their mental health, the loneliness and the isolation that many have been left trapped in, and start doing something about it.
The challenges we have had to face over the last few years have left their mark on us. On some more than others, depending on their level of resilience. I personally felt exhausted and was depressed, I couldn’t see when this was going to end.
The world we knew two years ago changed and became an unpredictable, unsafe place, and we had to fight against a lethal, invisible enemy, and our nervous system isn’t designed to fight an invisible enemy. That is why today we are suffering the consequences of the pandemic, and this affects our mental health.
As Peter Levine says, “This pandemic presented us with unique challenges. With Covid-19, the nervous system is under threat from something that is invisible and unknown. Human evolution has prepared us to respond to threats we can see, identify and then respond to, as in fight or flight. However, this potentially lethal pathogen required an active response that we don’t have evolutionarily. On top of this, many people felt trapped and alone, worried about a sick loved one, and/or experiencing the loss of a loved one within an unsafe environment while sheltering at home feeling trapped”.
ALL OF THIS WAS TRAUMATIC
The stress of dealing with COVID-19 and mortality and uncertainty could trigger or worsen our fears, helplessness, anxiety, as well as sharpen pain. On top of that, of course, are the long-term implications it has had for our mental health. Now, exhaustion, depression, anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other mental health problems are becoming more and more frequent.
Some people are more resilient than others, but many aren’t, and as a result of what they have been through they have become more solitary, they have been left trapped in their symptoms. They are exhausted.
It is time to prioritise mental health care and reduce the stigma around getting help.
One of the reasons for this is that the world we knew two years ago changed and became an unpredictable, unsafe place. We had to change what we habitually did, which gave us structure and security, we didn’t know when this was going to end, death or the possibility of death knocked at our door, there was continuous stress, misinformation… And so much unpredictability left us feeling defenceless…
This left a mark on our nervous system that froze us…
Anxiety, depression, irritability, stress, etc…. are the symptoms, the consequences that the pandemic has left in many people, and many carry it in silence. That is why it is important to start talking more openly about mental health, in families, with friends and at work.
You can visit my videos on my YouTube channel to work with stress
Let’s help ourselves!