Lockdown uncertainty bogging you down?

AHMEDABAD: Some are alone, some are with family, some are with their spouses, some with room-mates but all are locked down – under compulsory house arrest till the Covid-19 pandemic is contained. A caller on the 1100 helpline for psychological counselling, panicked over the uncertainty of lockdown duration and its impact on his business. Another woman called up complaining of a night of extremely disturbed sleep.Yet another caller, the kin of a patient suffering from bipolar disorder, complained of aggravated symptoms of the patient since the lockdown was imposed.
Complaints of anxiety, depression and panic are some of the most common ones on the 1100 helpline that has been launched by the government of Gujarat to provide psychological counselling to people during the lockdown. However, a similar trend has also been observed by city-based psychologists who estimate a 30% increase in cases of anxiety and panic disorders.

“Complaints from people with pre-existing illnesses are more common and especially those who are patients of panic and depression are reporting worsening of symptoms. We have also come across cases of people who develop obsessive compulsive disorders for repeatedly washing their hands and maintaining hygiene because the advisory is being repeatedly hammered upon them through various media,” said Dr Ramashankar Yadav, a psychiatrist at the Hospital for Mental Health in Shahibaug.
Compulsory staying at home is weighing down on a lot of people, including youngsters and professionals. “I have been getting calls from people who are worried about losing jobs or facing financial losses in business. Many of them are complaining of sleep loss or restlessness and feeling irritable. People are not used to staying at home compulsorily all the time and their anxieties manifest differently,” said Dr Hansal Bhachech, consultant psychiatrist and author.
The looming uncertainty over the duration of lockdown is one of the biggest concerns raised by people. That apart, cases of marital discord have also come to the fore. Experts believe that overconsumption of news about Covid-19 on social media is also harbouring negativity among people. “Fake news and overconsumption of news related to Covid-19 has caused people to unnecessarily panic and also led to creation of a negative mindset making them depressed. It is best for people to limit their news consumption through official sources and avoid reading all forwarded messages indiscriminately on social media,” said Dr Prashant Bhimani, senior consultant psychologist.