That the COVID-19 pandemic will leave its mark on the mental health of the population is beyond doubt. According to Iria Grande, secretary of the Spanish Society of Psychiatry (SEP), the services dedicated to this type of care will experience a substantial increase in patients.
The quarantine has taken a toll on society , forced to pause its normal activity for a long period of time. However, what would happen if we retraced our steps and faced this preventive confinement again? It is the question that many ask themselves, given the outbreaks that affect a large part of Spain. “ One of the most important effects will be the appearance of depressions associated with the social situation that the coronavirus will generate . During the crisis of 2008, suicide attempts increased, and it is foreseeable that this will happen again ”, predicts Grande.
Symptoms of depression and anxiety were the most frequent manifestations during confinement, according to the psychiatrist; they represent the greatest threat to a hypothetical return to the same situation. “If we have been like this since March, it is possible that resilience, people’s ability to endure, falters and leads to more chronic anxiety and turns into the aforementioned depressive symptoms.”
The greatest risk will be run by those with a history of mental disorders, as well as those who do not have good socioeconomic support , since they suffer “the anxiety of not being able to make ends meet, feed your children, etc.”, says the secretary of SEP. For its part, post-traumatic stress syndrome or acute stress would occur more in people who have experienced extreme situations. In this specific area are health personnel in hospitals or family members who could not say goodbye to people admitted to the medical center.
With the lesson learned, it is important to pay attention to those activities that can be effective in avoiding or alleviating the psychological consequences, but it is also necessary to watch out for harmful behaviors on mental health. “The most important thing is to maintain activities and hobbies that provide a release valve,” recalls Grande. These are as essential to be able to withstand a quarantine situation as contact with relatives and close people .
Because not interrupting social relationships, even confined, is a differential factor. In fact, there are now many more instruments that encourage remote communication, something that older people have also learned. “Many older people have gotten their hands on the telecommunications issue,” says the expert.
And finally, it is just as important to keep overinformation at bay . Grande advocates the importance of dosing contact with the media. “ It is not advisable to be constantly aware of the news, because there are not really so many changes . It is good to stay informed, but not 24 hours a day ”, emphasizes the secretary of the SEP.
The renewed weapons of the health system
To combat mental health problems, the firm commitment to telepsychiatry and the increase in human resources and infrastructure pose the greatest challenges. “If this does not happen, we can hardly offer the necessary support; We will provide it under the conditions we have, which are not ideal ”, warns Iria Grande, secretary of the Spanish Society of Psychiatry. In fact, a second lockdown would make it even more necessary to focus efforts in this regard, since demand would foreseeably increase.
Although face-to-face consultation is a vital and irreplaceable element, Grande recognizes the benefits of little-explored telecare until the pandemic. “This situation has also been good for us to optimize resources and make visits that could not be carried out otherwise”. The consultations in videoconference format and telephone call are destined to increase their relevance.
By Mario Ruiz.
