New Delhi, Nov 30, : Many people are unable to sleep due to the growing fear of Omicron, a new Covid variant.This is especially true for those who were under mental stress after the two previous pandemic waves. Fear is felt across all age groups: parents/teachers and traders, as well as workers.Human life returns to normal after 18-20 month of job losses, disruptions in school education, and health emergencies during the Covid-induced lockdowns.
Dr Vipul Rastogi is a consultant neuropsychiatrist at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram.He says that Omicron variant will increase anxiety and stress.
Rastogi stated to IANS that people had just begun to recover from the Covid fatigue.”This news can destabilise their lives again,” Rastogi said.
From March 19 to May 2, 2020, there were reportedly more than 300 suicides due to lockdown-related stress.In response, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment established a 24-hour, free, confidential, and anonymous mental rehabilitation helpline ‘KIRAN’ in 13 languages in September 2020.
The second wave of Covid-19, which hit earlier in the year, was more deadly and infected more people.It caused financial and physical problems as well as panic attacks in the minds of people.
Mental illness was exacerbated by uncertainty about the future and government mandates to stay home.According to mental health experts, the feeling of being isolated from loved ones, without social support, and afraid about new variants of their illness increased, according to mental health experts.
Dr Samir Parikh of Fortis Healthcare, Director, Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences said that “when talking about Covid-induced Stress, and especially stress related with new variants, it’s important to understand that stress won’t occur only to those who have contracted the Covid infection, or to their near and dear ones.”
“As things are reopening, it is possible for people to ask the question of the next wave if they want to see change in their lives.It was a case of people helping each other, being positive, following Covid-appropriate behavior, and caring for each other that we made it through.Parikh stated to IANS that we need to be positive and stress-free this time.
The October release of the first ever global estimate of Covid-19’s impact on mental health revealed that the pandemic caused a significant increase in major depressive disorders and anxiety disorders worldwide, which affected more women and younger people in 2020.
The study, published in The Lancet suggested that the pandemic caused an additional 53 million cases major depressive disorder cases and 76,000,000 cases of anxiety disorders.
“Countries that were most affected by the pandemic in the year 2020 experienced the highest increases in major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety disorders,” stated the authors.They call for immediate action from governments and policy-makers to strengthen mental health systems worldwide to meet the increased demand caused by the pandemic.
According to Indian health experts, anxiety and depression are the most common problems reported by people.Teens are more worried about their future plans than adults, which can lead to an existential crisis.
Adults are overwhelmed by financial insecurity and fear of losing their jobs.
According to Dr Arti, a senior clinical psychologist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, the new variant will further increase panic fear of socialisation and increase OCD symptoms.
People will be afraid to go out with friends and interact with them again.
Rastogi stated that “Principles of maintaining good health, such as exercise, hobbies, and spending time with family, remain prudent in this age.”
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