How to cope with the psychological impact of the pandemic?

Dr. Enrique Aubá, director of the department of Psychiatry at the Clínica Universidad de Navarra.

Mental health care does not depend only on vaccination, because the pandemic is not just a health issue but also affects the economic, social and family status of individuals.

The most common mental ailments are anxiety and stress, but there is a growing number of serious disorders, including an increase in suicide attempts. The epidemic has only just begun.

The consequences are so serious because during this pandemic we lose our horizon and vital project , lifestyle, some loved ones, family situations change, and economic resources are also at risk. And these are precisely the pillars on which we restore our lifestyle after a crisis.

Adolescents and the elderly are the most intensely affected groups. Some advice to prevent psychiatric pathologies in the current status can be: learn to accept suffering, without resignation, but making the most of what we can do. Other recommendations may be to adapt to living without excessive order and control, to rest well, to have fun in a different way, to reduce expectations in general.

At the social level, the promotion of solidarity would allow us to provide more and better care for those most in need. The pandemic is also an opportunity to grow staff and socially and to be better in every way.