who reports the global pandemic is resulting in mental health struggles worldwide./ photo: kieferpix / istock / getty images plus
since exploding across the planet earlier this year, many arguments could easily be made that covid-19 has caused a definite uptick in stress, anxiety and even depression. one of the greatest unknowns of covid-19 is how it the virus interacts with other physical and psychological conditions.many people may not realize that there are connections between physical and mental health. it’s not just the long hours of quarantine, but more subtly, how covid-19 combines with other pre-existing conditions to weaken patients’ psyche and sap energy.
understanding stress in a pandemic
stress can disrupt “business as usual” in the brain. recent studies have clarified how stress saps the ability to plan and how stress changes the way that certain brain cells operate. previous studies have shown that at times of great distress and upheaval, the brain can “shut down”, by not processing everything in front of us.how a person responds to stress during the covid-19 pandemic can depend on his or her background, social support from family or friends, financial situation, health and emotional background, where a person lives and many other factors. the changes that can happen because of covid-19 and the ways in which efforts to curb the spread of the virus can affect anyone.
beyond covid-19: mental health struggles
according to the world health organization (who), the global pandemic is resulting in mental health struggles worldwide. “adapting to lifestyle changes… and managing the fear of contracting the virus and worry about people close to us who are particularly vulnerable, are challenging for all of us,” who notes.
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in june, a study in the journal of alzheimer’s disease noted that beyond the normal concerns about respiratory diseases, breathing the novel coronavirus has been shown to have an increasing impact on people who have existing mental or neurological conditions, or mental health trauma or other issues.add to that that patients who do leave intensive care units and recover from their respiratory symptoms are potentially at higher risk for long-term residual neuropsychiatric and neurocognitive conditions, including depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychosis, parkinson’s disease and alzheimer’s disease.so, what are those seriously needing help to do?the centers for disease control and prevention recommends finding resources and someone to talk to from a safe distance. but even that may not be enough.
cbd on the rise
according to oasis intelligence, five per cent of polled consumers are turning to cbd oil to quell anxiety and calm their fears during the pandemic.a recent cnn article showcased cbd’s place not only for patients, also but healthcare professionals. dr. june chin shared that, “healthcare workers [who] are working long shifts are finding cbd helpful for restorative sleep and, on their days off, using it for pain and inflammation — from being on their feet all day, [and having] low back pain and neck pain.”many other adults are turning to cannabinoids like cbd during the crisis to help with feeling overwhelmed. with a high-margin of safety and few demonstated side effects, scientists are also finding that cbd could potentially help fight covid-19. and with cbd and marijuana sales on the rise, it seems that at least some patients are finding relief through better sleep and a calmer head.the freshtoast.com, a u.s. lifestyle site that contributes lifestyle content and, with their partnership with 600,000 physicians via skipta, medical marijuana information to the growthop.want to keep up to date on what’s happening in the world of cannabis?subscribe to the cannabis post newsletter for weekly insights into the industry, what insiders will be talking about and content from across the postmedia network
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the canadian centre for caregiving excellence supports and empowers caregivers and care providers, advances the knowledge and capacity of the caregiving field, and advocates for effective and visionary social policy, with a disability-informed approach.
the canadian centre for caregiving excellence is investing in a cross-territory mapping exercise to better understand the needs and challenges of those who provide care in nunavut.
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