Emotional Roller-Coaster

“Emotional pain is not something that should be hidden away and never spoken about. There is truth in your pain, there is growth in your pain, but only if it’s first brought out into the open.”- Steven Aitchison

One aspect of this pandemic which is rarely spoken about is the emotional toll and the negative impact this virus is having on the mental health of so many. A significant number of us have been experiencing or know of someone who has experienced some form of anxiety or panic attack since the novel coronavirus has taken centre stage and upended our lives. Experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. The Mayo Clinic says, people with anxiety disorders frequently have intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Often, anxiety disorders involve repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks).  Common anxiety signs and symptoms include:

• Feeling nervous, restless or tense
• Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
• Having an increased heart rate
• Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
• Sweating
• Trembling
• Feeling weak or tired
• Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
• Having trouble sleeping
• Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems
• Having difficulty controlling worry
• Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

These are uncertain times and many people are searching for answers; answers to questions such as, when will the economies of the world return to some level of normalcy, when will life return to normal, when will the coronavirus go away.  The topic of mental wellness is not widely spoken about since in some quarters there is a view that mental ‘unwellness’ is associated with eating out of a  garage bin on the streets. This misconception of mental wellness needs to be interrogated. I dare say a new paradigm is urgently needed regarding how to treat mental wellness. It is mind- boggling that so many people in the society do not know where or whom to turn to in order to have a discussion on their mental state of mind. More needs to be done in order to have our society comfortable discussing issues surrounding mental wellness. The Mayo Clinic states, mental illness “refers to a wide range of mental health conditions, disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors. Many people have mental health concerns from time to time. But a mental health concern becomes a mental illness when ongoing signs and symptoms cause frequent stress and affect your ability to function. A mental illness can make you miserable and can cause problems in your daily life, such as at school or work or in relationships. In most cases, symptoms can be managed with a combination of medications and talk therapy (psychotherapy).” There has been a shift in how we live and work, socialize and learn. As social beings it is challenging for some of us to be confined to our homes. Experts have warned of the isolation felt by many, especially the elderly and caregivers who are quarantined. Yet, it is our best interest to stay at home as much as we possibly can since the virus depends on the movement of humans to go around and infect ours. I was shocked and disappointed last Saturday when I when to the supermarket only to see a family of three females walking around without masks on. It was obvious that many customers were uncomfortable with them shopping in the same space. As I quickly made by way to pick up the few items I overheard one of the supervisors telling a security guard to speak to the family of three who were without masks. Apparently the security guard did; shortly afterwards the eldest of the three females began to curse the management of the supermarket and customers in general. Shockingly, the eldest female removed the towel which she had around her nose; the younger females also removed their towels. The supervisors looked on in disbelief. This breach of the mandatory wearing of masks in public space is squarely at the feet of the management of the supermarket. Many people are stressed to the maximum. Additionally, a significant number of individuals are emotionally drained. This is compounded by the new way of life which requires more people to be at home at any given time. Many interpersonal conflicts which were not much of an issue have now risen to the surface. Many spouses are having difficulty homeschooling their children and working from home. Many families are without a steady income source as unemployment has been widespread across the globe. In many instances ‘the pot is boiling’ and the lid is about to explode; unfortunately in some situations the lid has already exploded. Those who are being impacted need to seek some help or release. Regrettably, to date more than 208, 000 persons worldwide have died from COVID19 and more than 3 million people have been infected. This emotional pain has the ability to change one’s personality. We are being forced to find ways and means of coping in this pandemic. Having some emotional scaffolding is critical in this aspect to prevent us from going on an emotional rollercoaster. Jamaica needs to revisit its mental health policy which has been dormant for the most part. We should never forgive for a moment that our physical health is intricately linked to our state of mental wellness. Undoubtedly, it might be necessary for each of us to engage in an emotional autopsy to see exactly where we are regarding our state of mental health. In the same manner in which the coronavirus attacks regardless of one’s skin colour, religious affiliation, educational level, sexual orientation, mental illness does not discriminate and can affect anyone at anytime. Should you find yourself on this rollercoaster, try as soon as possible to disembark before that final destination.  Walk good!

In the words of Michelle Obama, at the root of this dilemma is the way we view mental health in this country. Whether an illness affects your heart, your leg or your brain, it’s still an illness, and there should be no distinction.   

Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues.

waykam@yahoo.com

@WayneCamo

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