Why We Should Not Be Ignoring Deteriorating Mental Health During COVID Pandemic & Suicides

The COVID pandemic across the world has pushed millions out of jobs and rendered them without a means of survival. For a large section of people, who were already struggling with some form of mental illness, the pandemic has rendered them more vulnerable and taken a huge toll on their mental health, stemming from several causes.

A lot among us are struggling too. The work from home norm and the alarming rise in the number of COVID cases across the country is a cause of concern.

Several studies done over the past few months have highlighted how the coronavirus pandemic has affected our daily lives, most alarmingly, how it is driving many people to suicides.

While mental health remains an issue which needs to be dealt with without any stigma and taboo, and people with some form of mental illness need more acceptance.

It May Be Hard At First, But We Need To Start Talking About Mental Health And Depression

As far as I can remember, mental health was never a 'dinner table' conversation and people tip-toed around the whole concept as much as they could; they still do. But for how long? How long before we realise that till we don't address it in the way it deserves to be addressed, it will keep consuming us to the point of no return?

How many lives do we have to lose before we accept the fact that any illness, mental or physical, deserves the same recognition? Haven't we had enough already?

From people you watch on the big screen to your own family members, we have seen everyone struggle and yet no one talks about it like it is a real thing. We discuss it on our social media timelines and ask people to reach out and then it's old news the next day. Cancer isn't old news. Pandemics aren't old news. Wars aren't old news. Then why is mental health treated like it doesn't exist?

COVID-19 Is Having A Major Impact On Our Mental Health, Reveals Study

Today, most of us are going through a tough time -- be it due to the financial stress caused due to COVID-19 or just the feeling one¡¯s getting by being locked up indoors while cases outside keep springing at an alarming rate.

And now, a new study has revealed that this COVID-19 is severely impacting mental health of the people with over a quarter of individuals surveyed experiencing depression symptoms. Three times as many who said otherwise before the pandemic.

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This is according to a study conducted by researchers from Boston University. They recruited over 1,400 people around March and April this year, interviewing them over the phone. The sample would routinely answer a questionnaire to look for signs for depression.

Their answers would then be compared to a sample of people who had participated in the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey -- an annual survey that looks at dieting habits and lifestyle, conducted by the government.

Researchers found 27.8 percent of participants showed signs of depression in the month of March and April, as compared to just 8.7 percent in the year 2017-2018.

Suicide Rate Rises By 8-18% After Celebrity Suicide, Wikipedia Wants To Stop That

Whether you¡¯re a student working on a project or just someone researching things you¡¯re curious about, the one place that we all visit is Wikipedia.

The sheer amount of content the platform has to offer, (that too for free) is nothing short of amazing -- From engineering to history to politics, it has it all.

Another topic of articles that many people read on Wikipedia is mental health. Whether it¡¯s about anxiety or depression, people are curious to learn more about the issues, whether they¡¯re experiencing them and how they can help gain control over it.

Is COVID-19 Outbreak, Work From Home Taking A Toll On Mental Wellbeing? Here's What Experts Say

The entire world is in uncharted territory, to say the least, due to the coronavirus pandemic which is forcing country after country to lock itself down in a desperate yet the only option upfront to try and prevent the virus from spreading.

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As the world is coming to a standstill due to the lockdown, a vast majority of the working population are forced to work from home, while others have been left with no option but remain inside their homes 24x7 for the foreseeable future.

This along with the confusion and stress created by the news about the coronavirus all around, the world is facing a very serious mental health crisis. In India too, there is a similar situation and there has been a lot of panic and stress among the population resulting in a widespread mental health impact due to coronavirus. This, according to experts, is the direct consequence of being isolated as against the routine of going out to work, socializing with people, etc.

COVID Crisis Is Affecting People's Mental Health; Adults Experiencing Depression, Loneliness

Conversations about mental health still have a stigma attached to it and that has forced many to remain silent and not seek treatment.

The situation is only getting worse as the world is battling an unprecedented pandemic, which is triggering another mental health crisis.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental health of millions of people.

He recalled that mental health was already "a neglected health issue" globally before the pandemic, with close to one billion people living with a mental disorder.

Yet relatively few people have access to quality mental health services.

1 Person Died By Suicide Every 4 Minutes In 2019 But Mental Illness Still Not Listed As A Cause

The discussion around mental illness is quite new among the masses of the country. However, an actor's suicide and the coronavirus pandemic has forced the mental health discourse into daily lives of people.

While there is a lot that needs to be understood about mental illness, Indians, particularly the middle class, seem to be slowly waking up to the concept of mental health.

According to the latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau, 139,123 people died by suicide in 2019.