One-third of the national lockdown period is over. The government is racing from managing one battle to another—locating novel coronavirus (COVID-19) patients to tackling migration. It has another worry at hand: Helping 1.3 billion people battle fear and loneliness as there are still 15 more days to go for the lockdown to end.
The health ministry has come out with a detailed advisory on how to beat the isolation blues.
“Feeling lonely or sad is also quite common. Stay connected with others. Communication can help you to connect with family and friends. Call up people whom you haven’t spoken to and surprise them. Discuss happy events, common interests, exchange cooking tips, share music, “ says the health ministry’s advisory.
But if any of these emotions persist continuously for several days, or if the feelings worsen and a person may feel helpless, hopeless and feel that life is not worth living, then call the helpline number (080-46110007) for advice from a mental health professional, the advisory adds.
Being forced to stay inside can come with a host of problems, from feeling depression to fear and loneliness. The government tried several ways to help people cope up with this national emergency. One response was to host reruns of popular mythological, historical and fictional soap operas on national broadcaster, Doordarshan. So serials from Ramayana to Mahabharata to Circus or Chanyaka and Shaktiman can be caught on Doordarshan to relive the bygone era.
The detailed advisory talks about the natural outcome of coronavirus. “These can be difficult times for all of us as we hear about spread of COVID-19 from all over the world, through television, social media, newspapers, family and friends and other sources. The most common emotion faced by all is fear. It makes us anxious, panicky and can even possibly make us think, say or do things that we might not consider appropriate under normal circumstances.”
To beat the social isolation, the advisory asks people to stay positive by being busy, following a regular schedule and even lending a helping hand in household chores.
“Distract yourself from negative emotions by listening to music, reading, watching an entertaining programme on television. If you had old hobbies like painting, gardening or stitching, go back to them. Rediscover your hobbies,” the advisory adds.
It particularly advises people to take care of the elderly as they may feel confused and lost. “Offer them help by getting them what they need, their medicines, daily needs,” the advisory adds.
It asks people to eat well, be physically active, involve children in chores and make them learn new skills.
As the last few days have shown that a huge chunk of information floating around, particularly on social media, is fake, the government has advised people to not follow sensational news or social media posts, which may impact their mental state. People should follow reliable sources and stay away from discussing diseases all the time.
But if still a person feels emotional stress, then there are few tips the health providers have given. “At times of anxiety, practise breathing slowly for a few minutes. Try and distance the thoughts that are making you anxious. Think of something calm and serene, and slow down your mind.
When feeling angry and irritated, calming your mind, counting back from 10 to 1, distracting yourself helps. Even when feeling afraid, deal with it by asking yourself: What is under my control. Am I unnecessarily worrying about the worst thing that can happen? When I have been stressed in the past, how have I managed? What are the things I can do to help myself and be positive?” the advisory says.
Fighting the virus spread has come with its own set of problems. There have been reports about people shunning health workers and airline staff and even ostracising coronavirus patients and suspects. A youth was beaten to death when he reported that two people of his village with a travel history village could be infected.
“Do not shun or judge people with a COVID infection. While you need to maintain a physical distance and keep yourself safe to prevent such infection, remember they need care and concern,” the advisory says.
“If you happen to get infected with coronavirus, remember most people get better. Do not panic. Practise self-isolation and take medications that are advised,” the advisory notes.
For those who recover and struggle to get integrated into the community again, the doctors ask the person to share his or her positive story.
