Coronavirus stress taking toll on mental health

Hyderabad: In view of increasing signs of depression in the society due to the Corona-induced relentless lockdown, Sahayam, an initiative by the Centre for Excellence under RUSA 2.0 Osmania University, is providing moral support and psychological counselling.

A team of 15 psychology experts is rendering advice to people suffering from mental stress and depression owing ot lockdown. The team members are especially trained in traumatic treatment counseling to soothe the feeble hearts and boost confidence levels of affected people.

Prof C Beena, the in-charge director of Sahayam, said: "We are receiving calls from all age-groups from across the city, especially from students who are greatly concerned over their future as the lockdown has forced institutions to shut their doors. They developed apprehensions due to the prolonged period of lockdown and the uncertainty prevailing under present situation." "Senior citizens above 60 are feeling more depressed. In some cases, they have completely self-isolated and even stopped taking regular meals and medicines out of apprehension that they may become cause of virus spread to their family members," said G Cynthia Dauglas, another member of the team. Psychiatrists say in stressful situations brain excessively produces a hormone called 'Cortisol' which has damaging effects on the very important organs of the body, such as heart, kidneys, hair and skin. Similarly, it has a bad effect on the immunity also because of the stress on the brain. Therefore, the excessive produce of the cortisol may damage the brain also.

"We need to understand that human brain, which is most evolved brain in the living species, is not prepared for a pandemic like this. When the brain goes through continues stress it cannot handle itself properly as we are feeding it continuously negative information regarding Coronavirus from dawn to dusk, leaving no room for the brain to function freely," informed Dr Virinchi Sharma, physiatrist & director of Manasa Hospital.