Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!

VERIFIED CONTENTAuthor: lek. Tomasz Nęcki

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the need to implement certain restrictions that affect the daily functioning of society to a greater or lesser extent. They can be different in different countries, but in general it can be said that they can certainly have a negative impact on human well-being. How did various implemented restrictions affect the mental he alth of Poles?

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has been going on for less than two years, some people feel as if it has lasted much longer. Some people - especially children - do not remember this anymore, the world functioned before the appearance of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Initially, the pathogen aroused fear in most people, but now it can be said that we are used to its presence in the world to some extent. However, just as you can actually get used to the fact that COVID-19 still attacks many people, it is more difficult to come to terms with something else - the restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic is quite dynamic and it is quite obvious that the various rules imposed by the epidemiological situation are changing just as dynamically. In Poland, the most onerous restrictions - such as restrictions on leaving the four walls - were not in force in December 2022, but those that remained may have a negative impact on the well-being of the country's inhabitants.

Restrictions and mental he alth of employees

In the initial period of the pandemic, those workers who could work rather remotely. Now it is different - some employers leave the employees a choice, others decide to switch to remote work when the epidemiological situation is deteriorating. As there are certain advantages of working remotely, it can undeniably worsen the mental state of employees.

Many people working remotely complain about a lack of motivation and, contrary to appearances, it is at least partially understandable. Suddenly, you do not have to get up early, put on careful makeup or dress in elegant clothes - it is possible to do it.professional duties in a comfortable tracksuit.

It may seem like an attractive prospect, but in practice, remote work for a long time can be very tiring, for example because it is difficult to separate your work and home life.

It is worth mentioning that working from home can sometimes be much more difficult than working in the office - you do not need to convince those whose children learn remotely to do so. The constant questions of the descendants or the partner may interfere with concentration, but also lead to a growing feeling of frustration and the desire to return to the employer's office as soon as possible.

The restrictions have a negative impact on the mental he alth of employees also for another reason. Well, because of their duration, some people are simply out of work - we are talking here, for example, about the organizers of various mass events. Other people, in turn, are afraid that they may lose their job at any time - they may worry about their employment, among others, waiters or sellers in shopping malls.

Constant anxiety has consequences, ranging from feeling anxious a lot to the onset of mental disorders such as depression.

Restrictions and their impact on a child's psyche

Since we have already mentioned remote work, it is worth paying a little more attention to remote learning and its impact on the psyche of students. Some of the youngest are happy when they do not have to go to school - they are happy that they can get up later or during lessons, in the second tab of the browser, play some computer games. However, those students who care about learning and good grades often say that remote learning does not have a good effect on them.

Lessons in remote mode can be difficult to learn - it can be difficult for children to concentrate when they have classes in their room, where they are constantly distracted by something.

Remote mode can be difficult not only for students, but also for teachers who have various technical problems. In addition, the bane of many students is an unstable internet connection, which may prevent both from following the material discussed on an ongoing basis and writing a test.

All of the issues discussed, as well as other difficulties, may eventually lead to children and teens becoming irritable or depressed.

It is worth mentioning here that isolation from their peers can lead to a depressed mood in young patients. Just as some students do not mind it at all, for some students it can be difficult to bear and ultimately social isolation may result in the occurrence ofdepressive or anxiety disorders.

Restrictions and mental disorders

Recently, in various media, you can come across information that the incidence of various mental disorders, mainly depression and anxiety disorders, is now increasing. There are many reasons for this development, it can be caused by the constant risk of falling ill, fears of losing a job, but also by restrictions.

Due to the imposed changes, many people simply feel bad - the possibility of participating in cultural events, vacation trips or simply spending time with friends has been limited.

The return to balance is not made easier by the fact that no one really knows how long the unfavorable epidemiological situation will last - the restrictions may be with us for a dozen or so months or a dozen more years.

The mere fact that Poles are more likely to suffer from mental disorders today is not the only problem - it can also be the fact that they visit different doctors less frequently.

Restrictions and visits to doctors

There are various reasons why patients visit doctors less often at the moment. Some specialists - due to concerns about their he alth - limit their work or make visits only remotely. On the other hand, patients also limit visits to clinics because they are afraid of possible infection with SARS-CoV-2.

As in the case of postponing the visit to the dentist to sandblasting the teeth, the he alth of the patient should not be in danger, the same may be the case when the patient refrains from visiting the doctor in order to conduct preventive examinations or diagnose the causes of his / her ailments for a long time.

The consequence of such conduct may be, for example, a late diagnosis of a disease that threatens the patient's life.

Statistics on the prevalence of mental disorders during a pandemic are certainly worrying, but in practice they are most likely underestimated - this may be because some people currently avoid visiting mental he alth professionals.

For this reason, it is so important not to delay and reach for the necessary help - an early visit to a psychologist may prevent the need for pharmacotherapy, and in other situations, starting pharmacological treatment early enough may prevent more serious consequences of mental disorders, such as suicide attempts.

Ultimately, it can be said with certainty that the restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic may have a significant impact on the human psyche. However, patients are left not only to wait for the situation to improve and the various restrictions will cease to apply. Trying to function as before the pandemic can have a positive effect on your well-being.

Therefore, it is worth taking advantage of the opportunities to go to a meeting with friends or to the cinema (of course, with safety, keeping in mind the sanitary rules), but also to get rid of the experienced tension on a regular basis, e.g. by playing sports or reading books.

Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!

Category:

Psychology