Isolation, Lockdown, and Mental Health

Part 1: by Sara Manfrè

Part 2: by Randi Morse

Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash

Part 1

by Sara Manfrè

The impact of quarantine on people, examined from a professional point of view by Italian psychologist Loredana Borgogno.

The COVID pandemic led many countries and people into forced isolation, but in some cases not being able to socially interact, outside of phone or video calls, had a bigger negative impact on some more than others.

From a professional point of view, the psychologist Loredana Borgogno explains that there is both a 􏰋􏰍􏰅􏰍􏰂􏰘􏰊􏰍􏰇similarity and a difference between feeling alone and being alone, but that in any case “you have to distinguish loneliness as a state of mind, from isolation brought by something or someone,” in this case, the pandemic.

The similarity is given by the fact that both loneliness and isolation do not coincide with what primitive human nature is, namely that of being in a group. Then, the psychologist goes on to say that the difference lies instead in the answers, thatis, “loneliness as a state ofmind provokes emotions ofuneasiness, insecurity, fear;while the loneliness givenby forced isolation paintsand ignites emotions suchas anger and rebellion”.

Those who have suffered the most from isolation are the ones who have suffered the kind of loneliness that can lead to depression, or 􏰘􏰌􏰘􏰓􏰇􏰘􏰇􏰍􏰄􏰎adaptation to difficulties or disorders, and those who have had previous mental health problems may have suffered a worsening of their state.

Futhermore, the psychologist suggests that there may also be an insurgence of a post-traumatic stress disorder in many people who have been in the front line; people “who have actually experienced the disease to help 􏰄􏰇􏰈􏰁􏰊􏰋􏰙others, and sometimes felt it on themselves, will suffer," but she also states that there have not yet been studies to support this thesis fully.

An advice the psychologist gives is, try to contain or limit exposure to information that can generate anxiety or confusion, and focus on new hobbies without jumping on alcohol or smoking.

Loneliness and isolation do not coincide with primitive human nature.

Part 2:

by Randi Morse

Why was New Zealand so successful at containing the spread of COVID-19? They considered mental health.

It has been nearly five months since the U.K. first entered lockdown on 23 March due to COVID-19. “All unnecessary social contact should cease,” said MattHancock, the U.K. Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to the House of Commons.

While leaders across the world have been concerned about the economic impact of lockdown, others have recognised the risk it posed to mental health. The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, has consistently expressed her concerns during lockdown.

“Amongst all of the things we need to think about as we tackle COVID-19 -including people’s health and their livelihoods - I also worry about everyone’s well being and mental health,” said Ardern via Instagram.

Even in Level Four, the strictest level of lockdown, New Zealand had what was called ‘social bubbles’ in order to combat the risk to mental health and allow those in need to receive support.

If an individual lived alone then they were allowed to form a bubble with one other person, within the same community, that also lived alone. Or a parent could form a bubble with the other parent of their child/ ren to allow children to move between homes.

According to Dr David Douglas M.D., M.P.H, an expert in public health, the best way to combat depression is through social interaction. “People need to have regular social interactions to maintain their mental health,” said Dr Douglas.

Compliance with the rules of lockdown in New Zealand was high. As lockdown eased, the bubbles were allowed to expand.

“New Zealand’s buddying systems had relatively low rates of uptake, but were greatly valued by the people who used them”, wrote Dr. Nicholas Long, et al. in Living in Bubbles during the Coronavirus Pandemic: Insights from New Zealand.

New Zealand dropped to Level One on the 8th of June, 11 weeks after first entering lockdown. They had one of the lowest COVID-19 death rates in the world, with a total of 22 deaths in a population of 4.8 million.