Enhance mental health to minimise Covid-19 effect
Published on: Monday, March 23, 2020
File photo from Bernama.
Kota Kinabalu: The promotion of mental health should be enhanced and prioritised to minimise the effect of Covid-19 pandemic in the general public. Alliance for Safe Community Chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye in a statement said the pandemic has impacted society in many aspects of life and mental health has taken its toll.“Mental health supports can be offered to individuals who need help. As the first step this can be done via tele-discussion. If necessary one to one meeting should be held to discuss one’s mental health difficulties in this difficult time.ADVERTISEMENT
“For those who face mental health crisis such as having severe anxiety or depression or experience suicidal thought should visit the hospital or clinic urgently to seek advice.
“However, standard precaution against the spread of infection must be observed and followed at all times,” he said.
He said the public at large is in the state of anxiety and panic. The seriousness of the pandemic has created anxious and panic response in public.
“Unfortunately, if this worry is not properly controlled the response itself can worsen the situation where people gathered in big crowds at any places. Therefore, measure such as the Movement Control Order should be effectively enforced and obeyed,” he said.ADVERTISEMENT
He said there are more people who become anxious and depressed due to the pandemic and measures to control it.
“Quarantine similarly to the Movement Control Order significantly affect the routine activities for everyone. Beside this, psychological effects of economic impacts such as financial difficulty need to be addressed among general public. People can easily become distress due to difficulty to adjust to these changes and difficulties.
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He said despite social distancing, more people will use social media as mode of socialising. Not only more time available to oneself due to social distancing, but sharing ones distress might also be shifted from face to face to using social media platform.
“Moreover, there are many unverified and untrue information about covid-19 spread in social media. All of these will create more anxious and panicky response from public at large.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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“If the above issues are not addressed adequately and effectively, healthcare personnel who are currently working tirelessly may face burnout in performing uphill tasks in dealing with Covid-19 pandemic.
“If mental health among health care workers are not tackled in this difficult situation, whether directly or indirectly it will negatively affect their performance and also the pandemic,” he said.