11 October 2020
Image Released, Getty Images
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In London, meditation in parks is a way to cope with the stress of the crisis
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Last Saturday, October 10, the World Health Organization (WHO) commemorated the World Mental Health Day, a day that aims to raise awareness of mental health issues and mobilize efforts to support it globally, and at a time when the international organization’s efforts are focused each year on different efforts. To support mental health, the occasion came this year, at a time when billions of people around the world are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, whose impact on people’s mental health is also exacerbated, according to the organization.
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Harsh psychological conditions
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According to the organization also, the Corona pandemic has brought with it over the past months, many challenges whose economic, social and psychological consequences are already being felt, especially for vulnerable groups whose livelihoods are at risk, as well as for people who already suffer from chronic diseases, and the injured. With mental health conditions, and those who suffer from social isolation more than before.
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And over the past months, and since the beginning of the year, people around the globe have been living in harsh conditions due to the prolongation of the Corona crisis, from imposing lockdown measures and home quarantine in many cities of the world to millions losing their jobs, and also the exacerbation of the crisis also among children, who are now suffering According to specialists, from psychological and physical symptoms related to the crisis, considering that they are a mirror of the conditions that their families are going through, according to what the specialists see, who monitor an increase in psychological and physical symptoms of children due to the crisis, ranging from cases of obsessive-compulsive disorder and an increase in weight.
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Prolongation of the crisis and psychological pressure
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As many psychiatrists indicate in published reports, the prolongation of the crisis, with the accompanying repercussions of home quarantine, the inability to travel and movement, as well as the lack of clarity of vision regarding the nature of dealing with the pandemic, has greatly led to a decline in people’s mental health. Then it led to increases in unemployment, divorce, domestic violence, depression and suicide.
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Several scientific studies indicate that the continuing pressures resulting from the prolongation of the crisis have caused many new psychological symptoms, most of which are concentrated in the growing cases of obsessive-compulsive disorder, while psychological suffering increased among those who were already suffering from anxiety and tension, depression, fear and trauma, as the crisis led To multiply the levels of fear, tension and depression they have from others.
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The air travel ban, and the inability of people to undertake leisure tourism trips, to break the deadlock of life exacerbates more psychological pressure, as the start of the Corona epidemic, was already resolved while people were on the gates of the annual vacation season, and where most of them were around the world, He looks forward to spending vacations that restore his vitality, after months of work, which did not happen, and instead they found themselves captive of their homes and cities month after month after month and until now.
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In light of the increase in staying hours at home, and the boring daily routine, which are all repercussions of the Corona crisis, psychiatrists advise to undertake several activities to relieve the increasing psychological pressure, until the end of the crisis, including reducing follow-up to news, which causes anxiety and tension, and reducing the use of electronic devices, this In addition to enhancing communication with friends and relatives, and using social media platforms, in following the news of everything that is positive, and trying to write diaries and notes, which may lead to the output of what is being treated within the psyche, and with regard to children, psychiatrists advise that they should help them express themselves, through activities Artistic like painting and music.
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According to the World Health Organization, mental health is one of the neglected sectors, in the normal situation in many countries, and the organization indicates that there are approximately one billion people in the world who suffer from mental disorders, while the percentage of those suffering from these disorders increases in low and middle income countries. At 75 percent, without getting any treatment.
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A survey conducted by the organization also indicates that the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted or stopped much-needed mental health services in 93% of countries around the world, at a time when the demand for these services is increasing.
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Has your mental health been affected by the prolonged Corona crisis, and to what extent?
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Which repercussions affect you, will you continue staying at home? Or the inability to travel and move? Or is it other repercussions of the length of the crisis?
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What are you doing in order to alleviate the psychological stress caused by the continuing crisis?
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If you have children, have you noticed that they are psychologically affected by the crisis? How?
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And what are you doing to help children overcome the crisis?
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Through your experience in dealing with the psychological pressures of this crisis, what do you advise other people to do to overcome it?
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We will discuss these and other topics with you in the Monday, October 12th episode of the Dialogue Point program at 16:06 GMT.
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Call lines open half an hour before the program at 00442038752989.
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