The second wave of the coronavirus affects people with psychological complaints harder than the first wave. Three out of four people in this group experience negative consequences such as anxiety, increasing tension and stress, sadness and depression and a lack of social contacts and care providers. This has emerged from research by advocate MIND. The foundation calls for people with psychological problems, who are also physically vulnerable, not to forget about the vaccination round that is intended for people with a vulnerable background.
The increase in psychological complaints is much greater than in the last MIND survey in June, after the first wave. Then one in three people suffered from increased complaints. According to the foundation, this has to do with a lack of perspective, the long duration of the corona crisis and the increasingly concrete consequences.
The study also shows that many people with psychological complaints become socially isolated because daytime activities, (voluntary) work and activities outside the home are lost. One in four of the participants in the survey with paid work lost their job completely or partially. Two thirds of the participants who volunteered also had to stop or give up hours.
Lack of social contacts
75 percent of the participants say they experience negative or very negative consequences for their social contacts. “It is extremely important to keep an eye on this group and to encourage them to resume normal life as soon as possible after the lockdown,” says MIND.
Social contact is also made more difficult because of the fear of infection and the disappearance of meeting places due to the corona measures. According to MIND, it is therefore so important that community centers, walk-in centers and other initiatives in this area remain open during the lockdown.
The foundation does not only want people with mental health problems to be included in the vaccination round for people with a vulnerable background. The care workers who work with this group must also be eligible for an injection quickly, as well as the informal carers.
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