People are generally social in nature. Unfortunately, we haven't be able to be 'social' of late due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has forced us into isolation for our safety and to flatten the curve.
While self-isolation has its pros to it (keeping yourself and others safe and curbing the spread of the virus), it has its cons where social individuals are concerned - simply because they don't do well when isolated from others.
A recent survey by Mental Health Research Canada revealed that 41% of the total of 1,803 respondents said that social isolation had a negative impact on their mental health as they both feared and lacked social interactions.
The survey also found that the percentage of individuals who reported high levels of social anxiety and depression prior to the pandemic had doubled since the outbreak.
Another study in Hong Kong published by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that 25.4% of 500 survey respondents reported that their mental health had deteriorated since the pandemic began. This COVID-19 related anxiety was also strongly associated with negative coping mechanisms such as substance abuse and suicidal ideations. The story is similar everywhere as the vast majority have struggled to cope with self-isolation and the difficulties brought upon due to the pandemic.
According to Mental Illness Awareness and Support Association (MIASA) president, Anita Abu Bakar, urgent attention is needed to address the potential threat of a surge in mental health and social anxiety issues. This is due to the fact that many Malaysians have been feeling just as anxious and depressed as their international counterparts. As defined by The Anxiety and Depression Association of America, social anxiety is the "fear of being judged, criticised or rejected by others."
Those who have social anxiety perceive that they can avoid disappointing people and escape the possibility of being judged if they do things “just right”. “We are truly in one of the most challenging times in history and this pandemic has created new sources of stress for everyone. If you look at history, during the Spanish flu, pandemics and times of war, there has always been a big impact on people’s mental health," she said.
“A lot of people have been cut off from their social network and their coping mechanisms. If we’re not mindful enough or providing interventions and support fast enough, it will lead to a mental health pandemic.”
She added on to say that based on the feedback the NGO has received, there’s been a sharp increase in cases of Malaysians experiencing social anxiety, depression and COVID-19 related post-traumatic stress. While Malaysians have adapted better to life in lockdown this year, as compared to the first MCO, Anita said that prolonged lockdowns can still be very detrimental to people, especially considering that many are already in a heightened state of anxiety.
“We can’t approach social situations the same way anymore and that creates a lot of tension and worrying moments as well for people. You think twice before letting someone come near you now when you’re out. You are worrying constantly about a number of things. There are just too many things weighing on everyone’s shoulders," she said.
“We are facing a lot of sources of frustration, stress and disappointment which lead to other issues such as domestic violence and abuse which have all increased since the first MCO. Suicide risk rates have also gone up in the past year.”
She added that lockdowns negatively affect individuals who have pre-existing social anxiety or depression issues as well as the required isolation and social distancing exacerbate their conditions. “They’ll go even further into their shell. This isn’t what we want and it really doesn’t help people with social anxiety and depression because they can’t get better by exposing themselves to more social interactions.”
Handling your anxiety
According to Anita, there are a number of ways a person can manage their anxiety or depression but the best would be to reach out to those around you using the technological means available today, instead of wallowing in solitude. “I would really encourage people to have more video or audio calls. This is a form of gradual exposure that you can practice decreasing your social anxiety,” she said.
“Take it one day at a time. But don’t cut yourself off from that social network and support that you have online because it is very effective in helping you during this time.”
Simply talking to someone, whether it is seeing their face via video call or just hearing their voice on a voice call is very important to combat social anxiety as interacting with other people exposes you to different ways of thinking.
Faith Foo, a certified Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing therapist and professional counsellor shared Anita’s beliefs as she said that exposing yourself to more social interactions is the best way to prevent yourself from falling into a depressive or anxious state. “Even if you didn’t have anxiety before this you probably have it now. Covid-19 related anxiety is real and can cause serious damage to any social relationships,” she said.
“We are social animals and we have a primal need for connection. Our brains react negatively when we feel isolated or excluded. This can provoke the same sort of reaction in the brain that physical pain might cause. So you have to try and talk to anyone or someone you are comfortable with at least as loneliness is literally toxic for our health.”
Source: Malay Mail
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