Raceview psychologist shares her concerns on Covid-19
Iona Kotzé, an educational psychologist for over 18 years, is among many that have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Raceview resident expressed her concerns regarding the impact of the pandemic which led to a national lockdown.
She told the RECORD that this has hit people financially hard since they many had to suffer salary cuts and loss on income due to the economic state.
“I know of people who have lost their jobs during this period. This has caused people to question their own ability to provide for their families. It will in turn cause an emotional impact which may involve creating stress, insomnia, anxiety and anger,” said Kotzé.
She also said that the strain faced by many may even lead to emotional exhaustion and depression.
“This is because we are confronted by something that really threatens our livelihoods and our well-being. This has created a lot of fear to people mostly because of their perceived lack of control and social media rumours,” she said.
Her concern
Kotzé advised that people should try and distinguish between real and fake news. She said lately people are bombarded with a surplus of information which tends to cause confusion.
“Social media projects the sense that everyone is fine and coping during this lockdown, while some of us are not.
Often when people are faced with anxiety they normally exercise, or engage in outdoor activities. They might also seek support from friends and family. Although such activities and options are slowly returning, it was at the beginning of lockdown completely taken away,” she said.
She also told the RECORD that due to the effect of Covid-19, both her work and lifestyle have been affected.
“I can’t work like in the past, but this has given me an opportunity to develop new skills. I believe there are good things that are going to come out from this.”
Kotzé said that she is more worried about children since they find it very difficult to voice their emotions.
“They might be experiencing lots of thoughts and emotions but they are often unable to verbalise it, which impacts on negative behaviour. As a result, a child might become moody or almost rebellious and refuses to do work. I also think that children now realise that life is difficult,” she said.
The educational psychologist shared tips to help keep people going during this lockdown period:
• Keep busy by doing things that you like
• Avoid negative triggers
• Get enough rest
• Try and create a routine
• Contact people
