The Sunday News
Mugove Hamadziripi
THE Covid-19 pandemic has been synonymous with joblessness, forced staying at home, less social interactions and physical exercises. These developments had some dire negative effects on our physical and mental health in general.
Turning back the hands of time, the early stages of the pandemic and the ensuing surgical and eventual national lockdowns hit us all hard in one way or the other. The mental wellbeing was affected by quarantine, isolation, joblessness, childcare, broken safety nets and poverty. One year later, we are still here, nothing has changed, it’s now a cyclical cycle or renewal of 2020. How are we coping?
For Zimbabwe, just like any other country, it can be deduced that, the physical health effects of Covid-19 and the countless deaths the pandemic has claimed have been, and continue to be, devastating on a national scale.
However, the mental health of Zimbabweans, just like any other global citizen, is taking a hit. In 2020, we expressed stress and anxiety that came with the first waves of lockdown. As humans, we have been and are still worried about the emotional impact that the loss of loved ones would have on ourselves and on our friends, workmates, colleagues, immediate family members and neighbours.
Many found it hard to cope with the grief and isolation, and others found it hard to deal with job loss and financial insecurity since a lot of people lost their jobs or had their income halved. In order to earn a living, the pandemic made a lot of people to work and expose themselves to the most dreaded virus, while others have benefited from working from home. In early 2020, as the lockdowns were being introduced, some citizens enjoyed more relaxed lockdown measures, while others felt safer through strict self-isolation.
However, despite all this, the mental effects of lockdown were experienced in the process as people reported feeling more restless, anxious, agitated, sleepless and all. Diseases crept in, depression knocked on the doors. Some citizens resorted to drug and alcohol abuse in an attempt to relieve their pandemic-induced anxiety and depression.
In retrospect, a year ago we all had hope. Yes, there was hope, hope that, on a mental health level, the pandemic would allow us to slow down, be more mindful, and have more time to reflect and return back to normalcy or new normal.
Research carried out by Erongo Consulting Group in June 2020 found that those working from home reported more creativity-inducing and less stressful environment. They called this working at a more “human pace,”, and the hope was that they would be able to work in more creative and environmentally-friendly ways.
In retrospect, one year later, the question arises: have any of these hopes materialised? Has the dreaded virus by the name of Covid-19 as a pandemic, had any benefits for our wellbeing as a people, or are we all worse off across the board? How have our mental health and wellbeing evolved and changed compared with this time last year?
Where are we now (July 2021)?
Scientists are using huge datasets to track the impact that pandemic control measures have had on people’s mental health. Although the full picture has yet to become clear, we can discern its early contours — and the overall first impression is looking rather bleak (US Census Bureau 2020).
There is a global “surge” in depression, as people are exhibiting symptoms of anxiety or depression. The most mentally affected by this pandemic are adults, notably breadwinners. Research (US Census Bureau 2020, MNT 2021) confirm that, from a mental health perspective, things have indeed worsened rather than improved since the early days of the pandemic.
Today, while we are all hopeful about the vaccine bringing positive change, the way people have decided that the virus is no longer an issue is a cause of stress. Add in the other challenges that have arisen over the (past) year, and the stress is amplified. Complacency and stubbornness is spiking the cases in the whole process.
Despite some citizens boasting of resilience or safety net, that hasn’t necessarily protected them from the adverse mental health effects of the pandemic. Even though they feel stronger, that does not make them feel emotionally better. People are scared and afraid of what lies ahead.
Researchers have expressed worry that some of these adverse mental health effects may linger after we come out of the pandemic. This is not going to go back to baseline anytime soon (Nature Trusted Source 2021). Of course, for some people, the baseline was already quite low. This makes things more worrying for them.
People are still experiencing exceedingly high levels of anxiety. Older concerns we used to have come back and seem more overwhelming than ever in 2021 as we read or hear about Delta Variant or Third Wave.
As a people, we have always been relatively anxious, but that aspect of our personality has really come to the fore today. We are constantly on edge. We no longer find joy in the things we used to love, and our go-to emotion is panic.
However, there is every need to look after your mental health while you have to stay at home.
Most people will be spending a lot of time at home and many of our regular social activities will no longer be available to us. We need to accept that reality. It’s a new normal before us. We to accept reality and see this as a different period in our lives, and not necessarily a bad one, even if we didn’t choose it.
This whole scenario has meant a whole trajectory and different rhythm of life, a chance to be in touch with others in different ways than usual. We need to be in touch with other people regularly on social media, SMS, e-mail or on the phone, as they are still good ways of being close to the people who matter to you.
There is every need to create a new daily routine that prioritises looking after ourselves. Despite this act being monotonous in this age of the pandemic, we could try reading more or watching movies, having an exercise routine, trying new relaxation techniques, or finding new knowledge on the internet.
Let’s try and rest and view this as a new if unusual experience that might have its benefits. Avoiding speculation and looking up reputable sources on the Covid19 pandemic since the onset of the pandemic, rumour and speculation (disinformation) have greatly help propel anxiety. Having access to good quality information about the virus can help us feel more in control.
We need to religiously follow hygiene advice such as washing our hands more often than usual, for 20 seconds with soap and hot water (sing “happy birthday” to yourself twice to make sure you do this for 20 seconds). You should do this whenever you get home or into work, blow your nose, sneeze or cough, eat or handle food. If you can’t wash your hands straightaway, use hand sanitiser and then wash them at the next opportunity.
At individual level, we should also be making a personal financial plan. Trying to stay in a stable financial or debt position is incredibly protective to our wellbeing during these turbulent times.
Try to stay connected. Advice is significantly different if you are shielding, and you still need to take extra care if you have a long-term physical health condition, are pregnant or aged over 70.
Never stop talking to your children. Involving our family and children in our plans for good health is essential. We need be alert to and ask children what they have heard about the outbreak and support them, without causing them alarm.
Also try to anticipate distress. It is okay to feel vulnerable and overwhelmed as we read news about the outbreak, especially if you have experienced trauma or a mental health problem in the past, or if you are shielding, have a long-term physical health condition or fall into one of the other groups that makes you more vulnerable to the effects of the coronavirus.
Do not to make assumptions. Don’t judge people and avoid jumping to conclusions about who is responsible for the spread of the disease. The coronavirus can affect anyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity or sex. There is extensive news coverage about the outbreak. If you find that the news is causing you huge stress, it’s important to find a balance.
Mugove Hamadziripi consults on Development, Media, Urbanism, ERP, Communications, Community, Policy / Politics, Sustainability and the Environment. He consults with the Centre for Impact Evaluation and Research Design and Erongo Consulting Group. He can be reached at [email protected]/ Twitter: — @mhamadziripi.
