Stress and anxiety rise amid pandemic-THE HINDU-23-04-2020

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“If any of these sets of people had a prior illness, then their condition is likely to worsen because of stress, or due to medicines and psychiatrists being unavailable,” cautions Dr. He advises those with symptoms such as anxiety, irritability, detachment, hopelessness and sleeplessness to consult a psychiatrist or a psychologist. The senior doctor recommends policy makers to ensure relief work is delivered with empathy.

Multi-pronged approach:

Mental health issues will not be solved merely by counselling, but through a multi-dimensional approach which includes financial support. This will help solve the real problems facing the people today, the doctor says. The real problems are hunger, shelter and clothing, explains Dr. Soumitra Pathare, Consultant Psychiatrist and Director of Centre for Mental Health Law and Policy at ILS Law College in Pune. Experts warn that the relationship between the COVID-19 and mental health problems are “bi-directional”, i.

such illnesses are not merely consequences of the pandemic but an inability to deal with them can lead to the spread of COVID-19 infection.