The coronavirus pandemic has given rise to more than one problem. Apart from the physical threat to life, the lockdown and the work from a home culture has led to serious mental problems among people, especially in a metro city like Bengaluru.
Among various other psychological problems, for people living in isolation, dying alone is one of the concerns. The economic effect of the pandemic has also induced a worry of losing jobs. For families, the anxiety of their future and their closed ones contracting the virus have resulted in sadness among the masses.
A free tele-counseling center, Swasti, initiated by the Association of Health Psychologists and Bangalore Psychology Forum and Karnataka Child Rights Observatory has observed a surge in the number of distress calls they have been receiving. Manika Ghosh, the Secretary of Association of Health Psychologists and the President of Bangalore Psychology Forum said,
“Anxiety, stress, depression, missing their family, guilt, stigma, uncertainty, fear about health are some of the psychological problems that people are experiencing due to the pandemic. The pandemic will cause a wave of mental health issues that many western countries are struggling to tackle. This timely initiative will help address the issues arising in the initial stages and may prevent escalation, which can turn fatal. It could provide a psychological first aid.”
The Work From Home Effect
As per the experts, most adults in the city are finding it hard to adapt to the work from home culture while managing the household work and children. Ghost said that they receive at least 15 to 20 calls a day. She said,
“A mother called to say her two children aged nine and seven were becoming difficult to handle. They were irritated and asked many questions. We also got a call from a distressed parent who said his 17-year-old daughter was shouting at everyone, breaking down for no apparent reason and sulking the whole day.”
There is a strong fear among senior citizens who live alone in the city of dying alone. Their children have been stuck in other countries. There have been distress calls to Swasti by frontline workers, COVID warriors, and even guest workers.
Source: Bangalore Mirror
