The Impact of Covid Control Measures on Mental Health

It is a known fact that human beings do not fare well alone. Hence, the saying ‘man is not an Island.’ Unfortunately, since the pandemic started, isolation and social distancing have been the primary measure to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus. The mitigation strategies are adverse to mental health. 

Statistics show a rise in suicide rates, depression, anxiety, and other severe mood disorders since COVID-19 went global. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows an increase in substance abuse use, trauma-related disorders, suicide ideation, among others.

Isolation during the pandemic is particularly difficult for men. Unlike women, men are generally more reserved. Social distancing and mandated seclusion push them further into their cocoon. Additionally, the pandemic has severely impacted the economy, leading to loss of income, disrupted relationships, and increased medical expenses.

Men usually get externalized depressive symptoms relating to their work, goals, and role. The pandemic has affected all these aspects. Worse still, men internalize their emotions and thoughts, making them less likely to seek help.

Why does isolation affect mental health?

The Relationship between Loneliness and Mood Disorders

Although loneliness manifests as depression, the two conditions are different. Loneliness is a transient affective state or emotion. On the other hand, depression is a negative mood. However, loneliness affects the same cognitive and neurological aspects as depression. Genetics, neurotransmitter, hormonal, and behavioral trigger loneliness.

 Genetic Contributions

Regarding genetics, loneliness is heritable. Studies show it runs in the family, and progeny are more susceptible to the condition under the right circumstances. Loneliness can morph into depression or other severe psychiatric illnesses.

 Neurotransmitters and Hormones

Loneliness stimulates and sustains hormones and neurotransmitters that regulate the stress response or anxiety. One study indicated high levels of cortisol in lonely individuals. The stress hormone is responsible for glucose metabolism during the fight or flight response. It stimulates the breakdown of glucose and its transportation to the muscles and brain.

Your brain and muscle need plenty of energy to prepare your body for fight or flight. It also increases blood pressure, boosting the rate of glucose and oxygen transportation to target organs. It also sustains the stress response long-term.

The body also releases adrenaline, another stress hormone when someone is lonely. Adrenaline raises your breathing rate, blood pressure, and heartbeat to increase oxygen intake and transportation. It also inhibits feel-good and rewards hormones and neurotransmitters. A proactive stress response gradually becomes acute anxiety, major depression, or other severe forms of mood disorders.

Cognition

Loneliness represses functioning in the frontal lobe of the brain. The frontal lobe is responsible for social cognition, decision-making, motivation, and emotion processing and regulation. It causes inattention, poor memory retrieval, and diminishes executive function.

The disruption in the frontal lobe also results in emotional dysregulation. It favors rumination or negative thinking, lowering your self-worth and distorting your self-image. Low self-esteem, in turn, encourages anti-social behavior. Without the intervention of friends or loved ones, an individual can contemplate suicide, abuse substance, develop unhealthy eating habits – all of which are psychological disorders.

The Effect of Isolation and Loneliness on Mental Health

 Research likens the effect of loneliness on health to smoking 15 cigarettes daily. The health risks also surpass the impact of obesity on health.  

●  Increased blood pressure and heartbeat rate make you vulnerable to hypertension, strokes, and heart attack. Research shows lonely people have higher rates of cardiovascular illnesses.

●  Cortisol’s action in the gastrointestinal tract causes nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and hyperacidity. Long term, these conditions can trigger cancer and severe ulceration on the digestive tract lining.

●  Prolonged exposure to anxiety can induce a depressive mood. It comes with suicidal ideation, reduced motivation, hopelessness, despair, mental anguish, and so forth.

●  A declining cognition can slowly turn into dementia. 

The Significance of Therapy

Counseling during the pandemic is vital. Counselors are a point of human contact for lonely individuals. Therapy is also essential for expressing suppressed emotions and thoughts. You can release the anger, fear, and resentment induced by mandatory isolation.

Your counselor does more than listen. They provide techniques and adaptive skills to help you combat loneliness, depression, and anxiety. The activities remain applicable beyond therapy. They change your mindset, perspective, and attitude toward hopefulness.

With social distancing still in force, you can get counseling services at the comfort of your home. Therapy takes place online through video calls. Your therapist can still analyze and provide the needed intervention efficiently. If you are lonely, get in touch with a counseling psychologist to take back control of your mental health

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Written by Jacqlyn Charles, Women Are Worthy
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