• Question: How do you think that spread of corona virus is affecting mental health of people who do not even have it?

    Asked by anon-237445 to Peter, Mhairi, Madeleine, Catherine, Andrew on 17 Mar 2020.
    • Photo: Catherine Talbot

      Catherine Talbot answered on 17 Mar 2020:

      Good question! A lot people are self-isolating, meaning that they are spending more time indoors and on their own. This reduced social contact can impact our mental health and cause us to feel down. Technology is one valuable tool here! If you need to self-isolate, you can use Whatsapp, Skype, Facetime, etc. to speak to your friends and family, and still keep in contact. This might help you to feel less lonely when self-isolating. My friends and I are planning to host a virtual coffee morning where we drink coffee and chat!

    • Photo: Peter Kinderman

      Peter Kinderman answered on 17 Mar 2020:

      Good question. The impact of COVID19 might be quite serious for our mental health, not only through the frightening period of infection, and self-isolation, but also if the epidemic affects our economy – our mental health suffers if we’re unemployed, made redundant, are finding it financially difficult. And this might last a long time. But… the World Health Organisation, local professional bodies and the NHS mental health services are already planning ways to help.

    • Photo: Mhairi Bowe

      Mhairi Bowe answered on 18 Mar 2020:

      If you understand mental ill-health as distress, as many psychologists do, then yes it can lead to anxiety and stress responses and experiences. It is also a great challenge for those already vulnerable to isolation and loneliness due to social distancing measures – so look after each other.

    • Photo: Madeleine Pownall

      Madeleine Pownall answered on 19 Mar 2020: last edited 19 Mar 2020 4:47 pm

      The anxiety caused by the coronavirus is huge. Self-isolation alone can be tricky enough to deal with.

      The important thing, I think, is to remember what we can control (health behaviour, hand washing, decisions about where we go and what we do) and what we can’t control. This will help maintain a sense of perspective. This is a lovely illustration of that, in the context of COVID-19 virus:

      https://scontent-lhr8-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/90305980_3341786635850717_2680219502926364672_o.jpg?_nc_cat=1&_nc_sid=8024bb&_nc_oc=AQkK1QweecR9zxzKqPIZO7Ku_5E94y7umfQozmbr1NYRTVsWjyc22sb6kqKFFXLUjpc&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr8-1.xx&oh=41f366173f3b768cd1b928cf91119493&oe=5E999117

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