Mental Effect of Covid-19 Pandemic on Affected, Non Affected and Families of the Affected

Abstract

The pandemic of covid 19, which has taken the entire world by storm has not only tested our physical health but also impacted our mental health in ways no one had envisaged! It has lead to a situation of socioeconomic crisis and mental anguish among the general population. The outbreak of a novel virus unknown to the medical fraternity and its explosive spread every day, conflicting messages from the government, lack of infrastructure for treatment, the spread of misinformation on media platforms and an incessant quarantine has to lead to a sense of fear, apprehension, stress, desolation, weariness, frustration and depression among the masses. The imposition of lockdown in the nation not only undermined personal freedom, but it also leads to huge financial losses, unemployment, work and school closure, uncertainty, boredom, stigma which have been major stressors leading to widespread emotional affliction and an increased risk of developing psychiatric illness during the time of the pandemic. People who were already suffering from some form of the psychiatric disorder have been prone to exacerbations due to the pandemic. Individuals living with confirmed or suspected covid 19 cases, frontline workers, unemployed people and people in quarantine are at a higher risk of developing some form of mental illness such as anxiety, insomnia and depression. Resilience and good social support are protective factors against this mental health epidemic that is about to begin. In this article, we reflect upon the impact of covid 19 pandemic and lockdown on the mental health of people in India.