The psychological effects of a lockdown

South Africa is currently in the midst of a national lockdown which has been caused by the Corona virus which is ravaging the global community. In an attempt to reduce the spread of this deadly virus, government announced a national lockdown. The lockdown is obviously a very unnatural practice for many people but an essential one.  One thing which is undeniable is the toll this is taking on the collective mental health of people. Separation from loved ones, loss of freedom, uncertainty over disease status and boredom, can have psychological effects.

So what are the psychological effects worth knowing? 

Addictions                   

Living in quarantine can have long-term negative effects, including the development of alcohol abuse and other substances. This is because the dependence on these substances increases as a way to deal with the stress and isolation. This extends not only to ordinary people but even those who are providing essential services who have to find a way of coping with the overbearing workload.

Depression

Daily news on infections and death numbers will easily cause depression to kick in. Even worse affected will be family members and friends who will have close relatives and friends contracting the virus or dying through the process. Medical experts advise seeking medical attention or counselling if the feeling of sadness becomes overwhelming and lasts for many days as this could be a case of depression.

Post-traumatic stress

Recent studies show that people quarantined for longer than 10 days “showed significantly higher post-traumatic stress symptoms” than those who were isolated for a shorter period of time. This post-traumatic stress can manifest in different ways such as self- isolation and poor eating habits which arises out of chemical imbalance in the body accrued from the days of quarantine.

Confusion

Socio-economic effects of a pandemic also heavily weigh on people’s minds.  But other factors come into play as well. “Fake news and media can fuel anxiety by citing contradictory expert opinion,” As a result of this, mental confusion is bound to be one of the effects.

Anger

Anger can be triggered by a number of factors such as hopelessness, realisation of missed opportunities during the lockdown and disregard of lockdown conditions by other people. The feeling of anger can be dealt with by finding moments to mentally detach from what’s happening. This can be done by reading a motivational book or listening to some music.

Stigma

The fear of the Corona virus coupled with misinformation about the source of the virus, symptoms and how its contracted will drive many people into being stigmatised and also perpetrating the social stigma. It’s important to protect one’s mind from being corrupted by any feeling of stigma or even inciting negative reaction against innocent people.

How to preserve and maintain mental health

Exercise

Nationwide lockdown has come with the downside effect of having fitness gyms and sports facilities being shut down. This shouldn’t stop anyone regardless of age from exercising in the confines of their homes or gardens. Exercising has been proven to be able to relieve stress, improve memory, improve sleeping patterns and boost overall mood and immune system. Exercise can be done through some weight lifting, brisk walking if space permits, swimming, jumping or even dancing.

Routine

Try and create and maintain some routine. This means eating meals at regular times, sleeping, waking up and exercising at set times, and maintaining social contact. Unstructured time can create boredom, spikes in anxiety or depression, which can lead to unhealthy patterns of coping.

Be in touch

You can stay connected through calls, text, WhatsApp, email, etc. Use this time of quarantine to get in touch with people that you rarely communicate with. Create a sense of togetherness by getting in touch with distant friends, family and community members who may actually feel isolated during this moment. All this helps in maintaining mental health.

Scrutinise sources of info

While being digitally active is one way of being in touch and staying updated on news and events, it’s important to carefully choose your news and media sources. Bear in mind that some of the information online is driven by the views, opinions and agendas of individuals. It may not be helpful for you to take in all that right now.

Practice self care

Self-care may mean preparing meals for yourself, taking time to engage in things that you enjoy or find relaxing such as identifying the smells, textures, visuals and tastes that you find soothing. Self-care also means maintaining boundaries such as refusing visitors and reducing unnecessary demands.

Get quality sleep

Sleep is a big factor when it comes to mental wellbeing. The quality of sleep will ultimately affect your mood in days and weeks ahead. Avoid unhealthy sleep habits like going to bed later and getting up later.

Healthy eating

Healthy eating habits not only contributes to mental wellbeing but also assists in maintaining the immune system especially for highly vulnerable age groups like children and the old. Complex carbohydrates found in fruit, vegetables and whole grains, provide important nourishment for human brains as they slowly release energy, which also stabilises our moods. If you are a snacker, dried fruits and nuts are a more nutritious alternative than sweets and biscuits and will help sustain energy for longer.

Parental responsibility

Children are definitely home because schools are closed. Taking care of children who may not even be aware of why they are in lockdown can be turned into a positive. You can choose to benefit from the company of children by playing some games with them and taking time to enlighten them on the virus. You can also distress by taking time to do some family health education. Be calm, honest and informed when talking to them about news related to the Corona virus.

The guidelines provided above should be able to assist individuals and families to emerge out of the lockdown mentally healthy and ready to resume normal productive lives.