- Why do people have Popandemic Stress Disorder?
- What would the symptoms of Popandemic Syndrome be?
- How to deal with the increased stress associated with a pandemic?
Popandemic stress disorder does not currently appear in medical classifications. For a long time, experts have been paying attention to how much a persistent pandemic affects people's mental he alth. It is mentioned, inter alia, that due to the unfavorable epidemiological situation, the prevalence of depression or anxiety disorders is increasing. Increasingly, you also hear about popandemic stress disorder. Find out what it is and what its symptoms are.
Experiencing some very difficult experiences - participation in hostilities, being a victim of rape or surviving some traffic accident - may lead to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the course of the unit, there may be, inter alia, low mood, recurring memories of a traumatic event or feeling a constant, unjustified sense of anxiety.
Post-traumatic stress disorder develops after experiencing some extreme events. Currently, however, more and more people are starting to complain about the occurrence of ailments that resemble the symptoms of PTSD, and those who have not survived the trauma at all. It is possible that such people have experiencedpost-pandemic stress disorder .
Why do people have Popandemic Stress Disorder?
A pandemic can make people feel very stressed. Concerns may include the risk of contracting COVID-19 (both by yourself and by loved ones), but also the possibility of losing your job. The situation is not alleviated by the fact that it is not known for how long the pandemic will continue. Ultimately, many people simply stop coping with their negative feelings.
The occurrence of the popandemic stress syndrome is primarily those who are directly exposed to the most negative consequences of the epidemiological situation - we are talking here, for example, about employees of the he alth care system. In the end, representatives of the medical world have to deal not only with the fact that they are constantly at an increased risk of developing COVID-19, but also with a significant number of deaths due to coronavirus infection.
Znot only medics, but also corporate employees and other people who are often forced to work remotely, can struggle with the manifestations of the popandemic stress syndrome. Certainly, they have some advantages, but it can result in a feeling of emptiness, a feeling of falling into routine, and lead to the feeling of loneliness.
Popandemic stress disorder may appear not only in adults, but also in children. The youngest can struggle with its manifestations, among others because of distance learning. It can also be difficult for children that in fact their school situation is changing very dynamically and is unstable - sometimes they can attend school normally, and sometimes they have to go to lessons remotely.
Additionally - which some people forget - the youngest themselves are afraid of the risk of developing COVID, and may worry that someone close to them will contract the disease.
What would the symptoms of Popandemic Syndrome be?
The ailments that may appear in the course of popandemic stress disorder include primarily low mood, irritability and frequent (and sometimes even constant) anxiety.
Patients may lack motivation to act, and they may have the impression that their life is meaningless, they may also experience irritation or anger that nowadays life definitely does not look like a dozen or so months ago.
The symptoms of Popandemic Stress Disorder can also include sleep disorders, appetite disorders, and difficulty concentrating. Patients who develop a problem may also withdraw from social relationships.
How to deal with the increased stress associated with a pandemic?
It is most likely impossible to fully prevent the development of Popandemic Stress Disorder, but there are some methods the use of which will reduce the risk of its occurrence.
One of the good methods of reducing the experienced tension is regular physical activity. Running, cycling and swimming can help. Everyone should choose a sport that brings them joy to practicing, and even a dozen or so minutes of exercise can lead to an improvement in mood.
Other techniques may also reduce the perceived tension. Meditation and reading books can help. Efforts to maintain social relations are also important - yes, currently, due to the epidemiological situation, they are not always advisable, but on the other hand, meetings in the real worldcan be replaced, for example, with meetings in the virtual world.
We will face the pandemic for some time to come, but most likely we will struggle even longer with its various consequences, some of which relate to mental he alth.
It is impossible to predict all the consequences of the appearance of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the world, but those problems that have already been identified - e.g. popandemic stress syndrome - must be tackled as early as possible.