During pandemic mental health took a beating

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: While the two waves of Covid-19 overwhelmed the country’s healthcare system, it also took a heavy toll on the mental health of the people.

Pratima Murthy, Professor and HoD (Psychiatry), and Director of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) said that during the pandemic, the mental health of the people also took a hit.

According to Dr Pratima, “The pandemic has brought mental health to the fore and forced discussions on the importance of mental health, particularly in the media and on online fora. There are social determinants of mental health which include poverty, homelessness, unemployment, adverse childhood experience, exposure to violence, lack of access to health care and social support. These are likely to contribute to adverse mental health even after Covid subsides.” She observed that there is no health without mental health.

Several people have already suffered adverse mental consequences - fears about the infection, themselves or their near ones infected, hospitalisation, severely ill, many have even lost family members, but not able to participate in their final rites.

There were also fears and misgivings about vaccination and now many fear not receiving it on time. Common mental health distress responses like - stress, sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress.

We need a health literacy, mental health literacy, vaccination literacy, vaccination of persons with severe mental illness on priority, self-help advice, professional help, helplines including suicide helplines, social support, involvement of other sectors- welfare, labour education etc,” Dr Pratima further added. She also mentioned the media personnel as frontline workers who too are a stressed lot and need self-care and support.

She also called for a greater media role to reduce panic, report more humane and positive stories. Government must win people’s trust and confidence.