The Impact of COVID-19 on the Human Mind

The psychosocial impact due to the novel coronavirus has been observed in multiple research studies and reports. The pandemic has strained human civilization to the point where almost everyone, no matter their socioeconomic class, feels helpless and stressed. Despite living in a digital era, people worldwide have been deeply impacted in nearly every area of their lives. From work to domestic life to kids’ schooling schedule, life has been disordered, so understandably, anxiety, and panic disorders are on the rise. 

Some of the common recurring disorders due to the pandemic are Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, and Panic Disorder. Given the disruptive nature of COVID-19, these disorders can manifest differently but are rooted in an underlying sense of worry that interferes with the ability to cope with everyday life.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

This disease is characterized by restlessness or feeling “keyed up.” Individuals may also feel easily fatigued and face difficulty concentrating. Sometimes, the mind goes blank; at other times, a person’s irritability increases and causes muscle tension. This situation leads to sleep disturbances, such as difficulty falling asleep or inadequate sleep to be fully rested. 

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder manifests when a person exhibits fear or anxiety in a social situation. In the case of anxiety, social problems are avoided or endured with intense anxiety or fear. This state is persistent, which means it can last for six months or more. Pandemic has aggravated this state in many people, so its symptoms are also common. 

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is associated with the pandemic. Symptoms include shaking, trouble breathing, sweating, and fear of losing control. Generally speaking, panic disorder is the underlying fear of dying,  so palpitations (or heart rate acceleration) are common. In addition, patients report discomfort and chest pain, which is characterized by chills or heat sensations. 

How to Cope During a Pandemic

Coping with the pandemic is essential to maintain the health and wellbeing of the brain. Coronavirus has impacted everyone’s lives, including doctors, psychiatrists, and counselors. It has yielded social injustice, harmed the public, and many of us have lost loved ones. Due to COVID-19, the anxiety level has risen in society as compared to the pre-COVID situation. Depression due to sleep anxiety and panic disorder may drain all of your energy and make life feel bleak and hopeless. Depression can also limit your ability to think and organize yourself. 

It is critical to focus on sound strategies that tackle these symptoms effectively. 

• Go for a walk to refresh the mind and soul. 

• Exercise daily to boost immunity and wellbeing.

• Practice deep breathing exercises to manage stress and anxiety. 

• Meditate to improve brain function and generate a positive mindset. 

• Develop healthy eating habits, which, along with exercise, contribute to boosting your immunity—staying fit & healthy to defeat any pandemic. 

• Find ways to safely socially distance with friends and family, such as walks, meet-ups, Facetime, and social distance outing.

• Practice guided imagery technique, a stress management practice, where you use your imagination to picture a person, place, or time that makes you feel relaxed, peaceful, and happy.

• Keep a journal where you write your thoughts.

• Know your triggers so that you can prevent and control them.

• Limit social media content and news outlets to avoid depression.

Some of these tips will improve your mood. Isolation and anxiety due to COVID-19 take a heavy toll on individuals’ perspectives.  The stress of social isolation, deaths of loved ones, and profound feelings of loss of daily habits exacerbate generalized anxiety disorder symptoms and trigger depression. These tips may work with the hope that pandemic will end soon, leaving all of us healthier and more mindful than before. 

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder While Teleworking

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the neurological disorder that creates various behavioral issues such as difficulty paying attention, difficulty in focusing, problems in keeping up with projects & assignments, difficulty interacting socially, and completing tasks.  As a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), I often see this behavior in the adolescent population.  Although ADHD is predominantly associated with adolescence, it is increasingly making a significant impact on adults in COVID-19.

ADHD is challenging for adults involved in teleworking because it diverts attention and intervenes in work matters. Before the novel COVID-19 pandemic, our jobs included a consistent schedule, a system, and organizational tools that prevented us from getting off task. Professionals with ADHD who are working from home in a pandemic may struggle to organize daily tasks, be forgetful in activities, or get distracted from their work. It creates restlessness, brings challenges in everyday life, and can also cause mental issues like depression and anxiety. The hyperactivity and all other learning disabilities are often riskier for adults because of their diverted attention, causing them to fail to follow instructions and complete tasks.  

How to Adapt to Teleworking with ADHD 

Adapting to teleworking life is essential for survival and to stable the work focus. There is no apparent cure for ADHD, but appropriate educational support, medication management, and counseling can help manage it. 

Let’s go over some tips that I’ve shared with clients struggling with adapting to this telework lifestyle:

1) Create an office space in your home. 

Make it the sole place you work in your house. Work mode will turn on when you enter and off when you leave.

2) Get a desk and organizational tools. 

A properly, functional office set-up can assist with you staying on task throughout the day. Don’t forget the little things like sticky notes, a planner, and an office calendar.

3) Take breaks and block out lunchtime. 

We forget self-care in telework settings because we are home, but we need to eat and give our brain a break.

4) Take a walk outside.

Walks can be very therapeutic. We need to get a breath of fresh air and see the outside world (with a mask and social distancing of course). 

5) Stick to a routine. 

Breakfast time, scheduled work hours, lunch, and dinner. Do not allow the pandemic to turn you into a workaholic.

6) Take a shower daily and get dressed. 

Although you may not be required to dress in office attire at home, you should make an effort to look presentable. In addition to impromptu Zoom calls, looking your best every day will feel better about yourself.

Think optimistically because eventually, the pandemic will end. It is our thoughts that matter most and define whether or not we stay engaged in our work. Once we develop the courage to acknowledge and address ADHD as a problem, it's more difficult for ADHD to influence our minds and attention. Staying focused and organized while teleworking will boost mental energy and strengthen your attention. If you are looking for help working from home, my company provides therapy and counseling services to manage the stress.