Pandemic Edition: Severe Depression in the age of WFH & Online Classes

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https://telegra.ph/10-Warning-Signs-Of-Caregiver-Stress-And-How-To-Ease-The-Stress-05-06https://uchatoo.com/post/494850_https-www-being-app-blog-pandemic-edition-severe-depression-in-the-age-of-wfh-on.htmlhttps://canvas.instructure.com/eportfolios/1169449/Home/Depression__How_May_Feelhttp://ttytcauke.vn/Default.aspx?tabid=120&ch=60475https://systemdigger35.edublogs.org/2022/05/06/treating-depression-conventional-ways/https://jellyhip11.tumblr.com/post/683476193632239616/curing-canine-separation-anxietyhttps://pastelink.net/zydue4gyhttps://blogfreely.net/boardfifth05/discover-the-natural-ways-in-lessening-your-hypertensionhttps://squareblogs.net/coilbrazil93/acne-treatment-review-onlinehttps://zenwriting.net/chordpest51/different-signs-and-symptoms-of-sugar-withdrawal-symptomshttps://writeablog.net/headjumper28/is-depression-a-real-illness-or-just-losing-hope-spirit-and-intuitionhttps://diigo.com/0ogi97

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Mar 21, 2022

POV✨ : Humanity is being threatened by a deadly virus, and our lives have changed overnight -- we're stuck in lockdown, we wear face masks to step outside, our hands are constantly sanitized, and the world has come to a standstill. We're scared for our lives, and WHO is on our tongues all the time. Adults forgot to adult, and teenagers forgot to teenage.

Did you know? Depression rates (people experiencing mild and severe depression) in the U.S. have tripled during the Covid-19 pandemic. TRIPLED! In summary, we have the novel coronavirus AND mental health crises to safeguard ourselves from.

As the pandemic continues to dictate our work and school life, we can't brush this under the rug anymore - mental health is a priority. It is a public health announcement - we need to join hands to understand better why and how this pandemic is impacting our mental health. And most importantly, how we can treat depression during the pandemic.

What is severe depression though ❓

Severe Depression (aka deep depression or major depressive disorder) is continuing to experience depressive symptoms for six months or more. This on-average 6-month period is known as a depressive episode, and one can have any number of episodes based on severity and treatment pattern. We'll get into what the signs and symptoms look like in just a bit.

Mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic ❤️‍🩹

The numbers tripled: From 8.5 percent of the U.S. population reporting depressive symptoms (of both mild and severe depression) before the pandemic - to 27.8 percent of people reporting the same in 2020.

Coming to severe depression, 8.4 percent of the population experienced at least one depressive episode once the pandemic hit (close to 1/3 of everyone facing depression during the pandemic).

Among everyone, the mental health of women and young people (between the ages of 18 and 30) is disproportionately affected by the dramatic shifts and consequences of the pandemic. Why? We'll find out when we understand the causes.

But the highlight is that 66% of the adults who reported such symptoms have accessed health care.

Signs of the Severe Depression Pandemic 🛑

Think about the word meaning of 'depression' - it refers to something sunken below the ground level, like a crater.

That's precisely what depression can look and feel like - a sinking ship. You want out, to reach a safe shore, you want to breathe without panic, but you just don't know how to take this weight off you.

These are some of the common and easy-to-spot symptoms of deep depression during the pandemic:

😫 Irritability, anger, or frustration

⚖️ Weight changes

⏳ Mood swings

😴 Daytime sleepiness or feeling sluggish

😵‍💫 Restlessness, low productivity & having difficulty concentrating

🌗 Sleep cycle changes

🥃 Excessive substance use

This pandemic has been challenging for all of us, no doubt. We have all struggled to make sense of this new way of life and find a rhythm again.

Let's dig a little deeper into the causes 🎲

There are very few people who weren't disadvantaged by the lockdown and pandemic. This new chapter in our history book might look slightly different for all of us.

We were either in university, suddenly getting used to returning home to online classes and virtual interactions.

Or we are working from home while also looking after the household - from cleaning to cooking to grocery shopping (aka stocking).

Or living with family members at a higher risk of the covid-19 infection due to age or diabetes.

Or were affected by an income crisis because of the global lay-offs.

Or we're stuck at home with elevated worry, anxiety, or stress, constantly consuming the news.

It was a novel crisis of the novel coronavirus. That was/is common between us all - the uncertain, negative, and no-contact atmosphere.

We were all unwittingly dealing with grief. The loss of our until-then lives and the joy of regular habits like meeting friends, a warm hug, seeing each other's faces. Many of us even lost loved ones and could not be with them in support. The fast-paced world suddenly broke down, and we were reunited with our fragility.

Young people and women dealt with the most life-altering changes. School became virtual, classes turned online, and many women became 24/7 housekeepers.

This never-seen-before scale of crisis unites us, and we are not alone. Almost one in three of us reading this is struggling with deep depression symptoms.

Help for self and each other 🤝

11th March 2022 will be our 2nd anniversary of this physical and psychological pandemic. We have adapted, adjusted, and slowly tried to cope with these changes. We can continue to help ourselves and each other with the aid of these easy-to-use DIY steps:

📞 Keep in touch with your loved ones

Support them and reach out when you need them. Plan online dates - watch movies together with the Scener extension or play online games on platforms like Houseparty or QuizUp.

🎨 Pick up a new skill or hobby

And follow suit with the bandwagon of viral trends on Instagram and TikTok. Cook, plant, vlog, blog, dance, sing, read or finish that online course you've been putting off for so long. Take your pick. It might sound very counter-intuitive, but it is a beautiful time to be alive - the internet can literally make dreams come true.

🦾 Use available resources to build a self-help armor

Research to understand what is available and might work for you. If you can't travel for therapy but are interested in it, try being's mini-therapies which are bite-sized sessions designed by mental health professionals accessible at your convenience and need.

My favorite part of self-care and self-love is building a routine and repository of resources that help develop and maintain my mental health. For example, I follow several therapists on Instagram who help me introspect, notice my patterns and correct my tendency. Or, every day, I have a self-care routine to take care of my skin, which helps me ground myself in the body that nourishes me. Or have a go-to playlist for when I am feeling down and lonely.

🏃🏼‍♂️ Keep physically healthy

We've heard this so many times, but some cliches are cliches for a reason. Eating your balanced diet, keeping yourself hydrated, and exercising regularly (at your own pace and of your preference) can indeed make you happier. An interesting thumb rule to a healthy diet is to include as many colors as possible in each meal. Linking this to keeping in touch with your loved one, you might even build a workout routine together and sweat it out on a video call!

⏰ Build a routine and follow-through

What I mean is, we all have those days when we don't want to get out of bed on time or have that last glass of water. And that is normal and only human. We might miss a day here or there, but that's alright because we can always pick up again.

Decide sleep-wake timings, when you log out of work, what your daily menu is, and whatever else you can plan really. Get as creative and fun as you like!

Capiche?

These DIY steps can help us ground ourselves and create predictability for ourselves, which can help prevent depression. It's up to us to figure out what really works for us. Conventional therapy works for some, while others need slightly different means like mini-therapy for when “I feel like everything is a mess”.

It's a matter of until we find our groove. A trial and error, a back-and-forth, AND a slow and steady will the race :)