Will the pandemic affect human psychology for 20 years? So the experts say...

Working from home, teaching online, having to not go out... At present, under the normalization of epidemic prevention and control, people in isolation and control will inevitably have bad emotions and even psychological problems.

According to the WHO report, the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by more than 25% in the first year of COVID-19. "Psychological epidemic prevention" has become another "battlefield" in the fight against the epidemic.

Data chart: Nanjing volunteers "ask for hugs" on the streets, calling for care for depressed patients. Photo by Yang Bo

Depressed, insomnia and irritable Am I sick at home?

In May, the weather became hot, and Miao Miao, who lived in a friend's house in Yangpu, Shanghai, was finally able to go downstairs this week, originally coming to Shanghai to visit relatives, and it was two months.

"Before, I couldn't breathe every day, and I often lost my temper inexplicably." Irritable emotions have been bothering Miao Miao for a long time. "I want to see flowers, I want to take the car, I want to go out."

Many people in quarantine have similar ideas to Miao Miao, and Tian Hui, who returned to Chaoyang, Beijing, from out of town, has been working from home for a month. "In the beginning, my schedule was chaotic, I couldn't sleep every day, and I felt bored doing anything." In the first days of isolation, the only thing Tian Hui wanted to do every day was to call friends and family, "talk about everything, just want to talk." ”

Yang Yanjie, director of the Psychology and Behavior Research Center of Harbin Medical University, said that this is the "stress response" that people appear in sudden public events, which includes the emotional stress response brought about by the epidemic itself, such as depression, anxiety, fear, etc.; "Due to the needs of epidemic prevention and control, when people are required to be isolated or isolated at home, their activity space is fixed, their actions are limited, their social interaction is affected, and it is easy to produce anxiety and depression and other emotions." ”

On 2 March, WHO released a report that the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by more than 25% in the first year of COVID-19.

With the changing situation of the epidemic and the long-term home isolation, while worrying about being infected, people's lifestyles have changed dramatically. Many people have also produced different degrees of anxiety, impatience, panic and other negative emotions.

Data chart: Hunan Provincial Psychiatric Center opened a new crown pneumonia psychological consultation service to the whole country. Photo by Fu Jingyi

Has the pandemic affected human mental health for 20 years?

Yang Yanjie said that in stressful situations, most people will have short-term emotional reactions, such as mild anxiety, fear or depression.

The main manifestations of anxiety include restlessness, nervousness, excessive worry, and in severe cases, symptoms such as stomach bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea, tachycardia, chest tightness and shortness of breath. Depression is mostly manifested as low mood, decreased interest, loss of purpose, and even loss and despair; while fear mainly includes excessive vigilance, fear, irrational behavior, etc.

It is important to note that having depression or anxiety is not a mental illness. At present, most people in home isolation have depression, anxiety, fear and other emotions that are only a symptom, a normal stress response.

Some people say that "the impact of the epidemic on people's mental health will last for 20 years", for this statement, Yang Yanjie said that in general, most people's stress response is mild and short-lived, and as the situation of public emergencies improves or ends, these symptoms will also be alleviated or disappeared, and most people can slowly recover through self-adjustment.

Professional reminder, of course, there are a few people with serious stress reactions, if there is a low mood, decreased interest, panic, insomnia or repeated suicidal ideation, etc., the duration reaches two weeks, through self-exercise, relaxation and other ways can not be alleviated, there may be depression or anxiety, etc., need to go to a professional institution in time for diagnosis and treatment, receive psychological treatment or drug treatment.

Infographic: Citizens wearing masks to work out in a gym. China News Service reporter Wang Lei photographed

How do I self-regulate while at home?

Yang Yanjie said that to avoid anxiety, depression and other emotions that occur in stress responses, it is necessary to adjust cognition, maintain appropriate exercise, work and rest rules, and more importantly, strengthen confidence.

To identify automatic thinking, careful attribution, with excessive pessimistic emotions to read a lot of negative reports, it is easy to fall into unreasonable cognition and panic. Not only to see the serious side of the epidemic, but also to rationally obtain the official information released by the government, not to believe in rumors, not to spread rumors, and to strengthen confidence.

When you feel that your emotions are excessively anxious, irritable, and it is difficult to fall asleep, you can adjust anxiety, tension, and panic by practicing the "448 breathing method" (inhalation for 4 seconds, holding your breath for 4 seconds, and finally exhaling for 8 seconds), "mindfulness meditation" relaxation training, etc.

In addition, experts remind that it is necessary to enhance contact through telephone chat, diary writing, online social media and other channels from time to time, to obtain support from family and friends, and if necessary, it can be adjusted by professional psychological counseling.

If conditions permit, you can go out for a walk and breathe fresh air. Get enough sleep every day. Without going out, you can also do yoga, strength training and other sports at home to improve mood and improve your own immunity.

"Exercise really makes people relax a little," Miao Miao also said, "recently followed Liu Qihong to dance exercises, moving will not be so upset." ”

Source: China News Network

Editor-in-charge: Qin Daixin

Proofreader: Huang Chenxi (Intern)