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This is how the mental health of Hungarians has been affected by the pandemic
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Besides its well-known consequences for our health, the economy, and our society, the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in several mental difficulties as well, the day-to-day treatment of which should also be an important factor in the unprecedented global crisis caused by COVID-19. Therefore, we need to pay special attention to our mental health that will make our everyday life easier to get through in this hard and stressful period.
As Házipatika reports, in 2020, the negative effects of the coronavirus epidemic on the mental state of Hungarian people have been felt at individual, family, and societal levels as well. The mental effects of the pandemic could be experienced from the very first minute, generating the feeling of panic, loss, and grief in the majority of the global population. All of this can also intensify the effects of previous traumas, which can directly lead to mental disorders.
As a result of social fear, the worsening of our mental health can lead to anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or even suicidal ideation.
These processes have a serious impact not only on the population but also on doctors and healthcare workers who are much more at risk of infection due to their frontline work.
“A kind of floating anxiety characterises our daily lives; we go to work and worry about catching the infection,” commented psychologist Rózsa Mendi to Hungarian news portal Népszava, adding that the constant anxiety during a long period of time can generate severe physical symptoms. In their own work, patients, especially young people, complained of dizziness and panic attacks and that they were generally more prone to hypochondria due to fear of infection. And those who experienced COVID-19 with more severe symptoms may even develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to the expert, they and those who have lost their loved ones would need mental health assistance. Kava Guides says that more people are resorting to kava for their anxiety instead of harmful substances like alcohol. This is good news, reports the Hungarian Health Association.
According to Gyógyline, it makes the problem even more difficult that this is the first time in history when, due to the digital age, troubles are getting so close to us that we could even crumble under their weight without being directly affected. Social media is both a blessing and a curse in such a situation. Its positive side is that we can share information with others and get to know the latest news immediately with a quick browse; however, we can never be 100% sure that we have found true and authentic information, which is considered to be one of the greatest disadvantages of the flow of digital news.
