There are mounting concerns over the mental health management of members of the society amidst the measures being implemented locally to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Locally, cases continue to rise and there has been one death in relation to COVID-19. In addition, more restrictive measures such as the closure of the ports to incoming passengers have been implemented, leaving citizens on the edge who result to panic buying and constant worry about the uncertainty of this period.

Other measures already implemented include the quarantine of the communities of Seven Miles and Eight Miles, Bull Bay, and Cornpiece in Clarendon. Further measures saw the closure of schools, bars, and places of entertainment, encouragement of social distancing, the limit of 20 people to a building, plus the order for non-essential work in the public and private sector to be done from home.

“I don’t know what to expect right now. My household has eight people. How do you practice social distancing in your home with your children who are young and want your attention and want their grandparents’ attention? I understand the need to be careful, but you explain to them and they still come for their hugs, you don’t want them to feel they are being shunned,” Stacey Rhule shared.

“It’s pure worry for me. Everyone is ‘panicky’. My husband is scorning everyone and everything. My sister works in the hotel industry and called me in tears wondering how she is going to manage now that she is out of a job and not earning. My parents have become withdrawn. I am stressed to the max as I have to go to work. I just don’t know,” Nicola Pinnock shared.

Those are just two accounts of the psychological impact on individuals due to COVID-19 fears.

A comprehensive document by the World Health Organization regarding mental health considerations during the COVID-19 crisis period outlines a number of ways to manage stressors and be considerate during the outbreak.

The six-page document makes recommendations to the general population; health care workers; team leaders or managers in health facilities; care providers for children; older adults, care providers and people with underlying health conditions and people in isolation. It also signposts individuals to websites they can learn more about COVID-19 and how to address social stigma and other psychological issues related to the virus.

The document emphasises empathy, appropriate language when speaking about COVID-19, the need to reduce stigma and maintain social networks plus having frank discussions with children regarding social distancing. It also outlines the need to take care of personal health while providing support to staff, elderly and people in isolation.

To further explain the impact of the virus on the psychological health of individuals Dr Andre Allen-Casey, counselling psychologist at Family Life Ministries, pointed out that with any kind of stress or distress encountered, irrespective of the stressor, there are three natural responses — fight, flight or freeze.

He further classified the reactions and gave examples of how they might manifest among people.

“From a cognitive, emotional and/or behavioural standpoint, there are different signs of stress overload. Cognitive speaks to memory problems, poor judgement, seeing all the negative and constantly worrying. So COVID-19, how it has impacted me personally? If I am a patient or victim and by victim, I am talking about where it has taken a loved one from you, or you are quarantined and put in isolation, denied of certain things, social distancing even in your own home. If you find someone is having a cough or cold, the different phobias that come with that and the fears that will come alongside with that and how they want to pretty much withdraw themselves from it can be stressful.

“Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs states that self-preservation comes first. So, despite the nature of the relationship, you say I am going to preserve myself. So you hear husbands saying to wives don’t come near me. Parents saying to children don’t come near me, so even children feel impacted by the COVID-19 measures,” Dr Allen-Casey said.

From an emotional standpoint, Dr Allen-Casey said the effects include moodiness, irritability, short temper, agitation, inability to relax, feeling overwhelmed, sense of loneliness, depression, emotional and mental disturbances.

He continued, “Sexual problems, impotence, low libido, and digestive problems, gas, diarrhoea and constipation, high blood pressure, backaches, mental disturbances. COVID-19 and the fears that come with it will affect from a cognitive standpoint, emotional standpoint, physical standpoint and it will also affect me from a behavioural standpoint. It may be that I eat more, I eat less, I am sleeping too much, I am sleeping too little, I am distracted by what I see on the TV. The more I hear about the atrocities rather than the victories that come along with COVID-19, then I understand I am at a place of constant worry and fear. My paranoia will increase or my susceptibility to develop a disorder, which is paranoia personality disorder, definitely will increase as a result of COVID-19. I may even use drugs to relax.”

Moreover, regarding whether we may see an uptick in suicides as people grapple with the economic decline and uncertainty of income, Dr Allen-Casey said it is not far-fetched, but in Jamaica’s culture, it is also not the norm.

“In a number of different cultures whenever persons, especially males, feel they can no longer be efficient protectors and providers of their home, then they no longer value themselves or what they’re able to do. In their minds, their job is the primary means within which they are able to provide for and protect their family. If I no longer have the ability to do so will it lead to me killing myself? There are some correlations where that is concerned, but I would be careful to make a broad-brush statement where that is concerned. The first option of taking lives in our culture is not the norm. But are there instances? Most definitely,” Dr Allen-Casey said.

Furthermore, Dr Allen-Casey asserted that there has been a shift where mental health awareness has increased locally, but part of the solution needs to focus on increasing self-efficacy and emotional intelligence.

“Re-educating people with self-efficacy and emotional intelligence is important. Self-efficacy from the layman’s interpretation is the person’s internal belief about their ability to manage their lives and to competently deal with an individual task. How do we recreate in people that ‘yes you can’? I do believe if we have different avenues, information talks about letting people believe in themselves and who they are, and their ability to overcome challenges, the negative reinforcement around COVID-19 will become almost extinct,” Dr Allen-Casey said.