One of the most recent psychological researches into boredom has uncovered a tendency for boredom to drive people to political extremes, greater risk taking, and impulsivity.
Also, recently World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the coronavirus crisis and the lockdown measures that are being resorted to by the states to contain the coronavirus pandemic can have a negative impact on people’s mental health and well-being.
Isolation, physical distancing, the closure of schools and workplaces are challenges that affect people, and it is natural to feel stress, anxiety, fear and loneliness at this time, it said.
As more and more people are obliged to remain in home quarantine or isolation with possible or proven coronavirus infection, experts agree that it is important to consider the effects of the pandemic on the mental health of people – while providing psychological support for the general public.
As such it is essential to address the public mental health of people during the following weeks, the WHO said.
“This is not going to be a sprint, but a marathon,” the WHO said, urging countries to prepare their medical services for the mental health of people.
This crisis, as per experts, could generate symptoms of depression or lack of participation over the next weeks.
In Kashmir context, people over the years have grown accustomed to shutdowns, restrictions and curfew but this time the situation is different.
As per the experts, people should unlearn the “learned behaviour” while observing the ongoing lockdown, now into its 3rd week. The experts say the present lockdown shouldn’t be equated to those in the past.
The J&K government has issued an appeal to people to get engaged in family discussions, try to connect with loved ones on phone if they are far from them besides advised people to carry exercises and small activities at home to reduce boredom amid ongoing lockdown against the spread of coronavirus.
The steps taken by the government are in right earnest but there is need to do more. It should augment mental health facilities as need was sure to arise given the possibility of increase in depression cases or other related issues over the next few months.
Anxiety, Impulsiveness
