Attention To These In Combating Pandemic Psychology!

A year has passed since the pandemic. Stating that the effect of this period differs from person to person, experts emphasize the importance of psychological well-being in the pandemic that will become a part of our lives for a while. It points out the effects of positive thinking, sparing time for enjoyable activities and maintaining healthy relationships online in protecting from stress-related panic disorder, acute stress disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, which increased during the pandemic period.

Every year, the third week of March is celebrated as Brain Awareness Week. This special week, which has been celebrated since 2008 under the leadership of international organizations related to neuroscience, especially the Society for Neuroscience and Dana Foundation, aims to better promote neuroscience in the world, explain its importance and make new developments in the field echo in the society.

Expert Clinical Psychologist Aziz Görkem Çetin from Üsküdar University, NPİSTANBUL Brain Hospital, shared his suggestions on the protection of mental health during the pandemic process we were in, in a statement he made on the occasion of Brain Awareness Week.

Stating that the pandemic causes anxiety or fear in both the society and healthcare workers, Aziz Görkem Çetin said that the biggest reason for this anxiety and fear can be attributed to causes such as the infection being contagious and posing a threat.

Everyone's psychological reaction to the pandemic is different

Stating that the psychological reactions that occur in the pandemic vary from extreme anxiety and fear to being completely indifferent to the understanding of fatalism, Aziz Görkem Çetin reminded that the psychological structure of people also changes from person to person.

Stating that some individuals experience more psychological effects and some individuals adapt and experience less anxiety, Aziz Görkem Çetin listed the psychological effects experienced in epidemics as follows:

Psychological effects such as the fear of going to health centers due to the fear of getting sick, the fear of getting sick and death, the fear of losing their job, the fear of being stigmatized or quarantined for the disease, the fear of infecting loved ones, feeling helpless, lonely and unhappy due to being isolated can be seen. . We can see such results in studies on the Covid epidemic, and it is seen that this situation has psychological effects, and even these effects are not short-term. "

Most stress-related panic disorder increased

Aziz Görkem Çetin also gave information about the diseases that experienced the most problems during the pandemic process. Çetin said, “During the pandemic process, it is possible to say that disorders such as panic disorder, acute stress disorder, health anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression due to stress caused by the pandemic are more frequently applied. In this process, it can be said that the complaints of the individuals who received treatment before, as well as the individuals who received psychological support for the first time due to the pandemic, "he said.

Thinking positively is very important

Specialist Clinical Psychologist Aziz Görkem Çetin listed his recommendations to protect mental health as follows:

• It should not be exposed to pandemic news more than necessary.
• You can contribute to psychological strength by eating a healthy and balanced diet and exercising.
• Take time to activities you enjoy.
• Try to maintain healthy relationships online.
• Keep thinking positively.
• Aim to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.
• Stop using electronic devices before going to bed.
• Avoid sleeping during the day.
• Pay attention to your tea and coffee consumption.
• When you experience tension, try to relax with diaphragmatic breathing.
• Instead of negative thoughts, focus your attention on activities that will direct your attention well.