It's been almost 3 years since the very first news of the pandemic hit our digital screens. January 2020 was a game changer for the entire world. Most of us were shocked, scared and clueless as to why and how this happened at first. When WHO announced the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that the spate of pneumonia-like cases in Wuhan could have stemmed from a new coronavirus, there were 59 cases so far, and travel precautions are already at the forefront of experts’ concerns. The virus spread across the entire globe so rapidly and at a rate that was beyond measurable.
The last time we were hit by something similar but not of this magnitude was the 2009 H1N1 pandemic that started in the US and had an estimated 500,000 deaths worldwide.
Adapting to Changes
While we were dealing with news of how the virus had reached every corner of the globe including Antarctica, it became apparent that the virus was going to stay. Most countries announced national lockdowns around March 2020, Malaysia being one of them. Lockdowns were harsh, signifying absolutely no contact with the outside world except grocery shopping. We were not allowed to walk outside, roam in our vehicles and even dine in restaurants. Our homes became our sanctuary. While most people enjoyed staying at home, discovering new hobbies and trying to make the best of their time during those critical times, for many outgoing people, this was nothing but torture.
Limiting movement literally meant not having the pleasure or excitement to go out and meet new people or interact with the usual circle. Work from home(WFH) became the new norm, with people glued to their screens. Working hours prolonged and the usual 9-5 became 9-9 for some as companies claimed that being at home simply meant having the 'ability to work more' since time was not spent in traffic.
People turned to calling each other on Google Meet, MS Teams and the ever famous Zoom that replaced Skype's popularity overnight. I personally had ‘game nights’ with some of my friends on Discord and we spent our nights every week once by playing online games together. Bonding over screen time had a whole new meaning.
The Ugly Sides
Being locked up at home also meant having to face the same people on a daily basis, causing tensed situations especially if we were never used to living in the same household in the first place. For those returning from overseas after their studies, adjusting was tough and having to adapt to a new environment meant changing their entire lifestyle and habits.
Divorce rates were at an all time high during the lockdown period. Disagreements and fights were more apparent. Additionally, relationship experts say the financial impact of Covid-19 is also likely to be playing a major role in break-ups, as people find themselves unemployed, furloughed or taking home lower pay cheques. Amidst all these, people found a way to live with each other without being in each others way all the time. However, connections also took place in different ways through online meetups, new friendships were also forged.
The Repercussions on Mental Health
While we understand that nothing has remained the same post pandemic from human interactions right up to how we live in general, the repercussions that it has bring towards our health in general, especially mental health has been significantly large. The pandemic has affected the public’s mental health and well-being in a variety of ways, including through isolation and loneliness, job loss and financial instability, and illness and grief.
Anxiety and depression were some of the many instances faced by people in general. The unforeseen circumstances and not able to know what is happening ahead, lockdowns after lockdowns are some of the many examples that may have caused this.
Substance abuse such as drug overdose and alcohol addiction were common. For many, this was a way to numb their feelings and stray away from a world that saw no end to this issue at the time. Hearing the news of people dying on a daily basis and not being able to do anything was a form of natural selection. While we thought a lot of these deaths happened far away from us, reality hit when they were happening right in front of us, involving some of our close family and friends.
Online therapy was introduced in many countries, psychologists were able to provide therapy on a weekly basis through Zoom calls and assess their patients wellbeing. While this may have not been the best approach, this was the best method at the given time.
While we were used to having connections with many people pre pandemic, most of this changed post that. Lunches in offices were not the same anymore with colleagues, the ones we used to party with had moved on to other priorities in life and the usual group that we'd hung out with did not exist anymore.
At the end of the day, we're all humans. We evolve, we grow and we adapt to better things in life.
The pandemic has taught us one great lesson; nothing remains the same and life is all about accepting these changes and making the best out of any obstacles that's thrown at us.
Pooja Patel is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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