Health and Wealth during a Pandemic
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic has completely changed our daily live and routines by isolating us from the rest of society, having devastating impact on mental and physical health. For my research, I used a survey to ask my fellow students and related adults about changes in their daily routines such as sleep schedule, eating habits, exercise, health and overall emotional feelings. The results have shown drastic changes which indicate anxiety or preliminary stages of depression. It is more than likely that it is caused by isolation and boredom and also the increasing burden of financial issues.
Introduction
To say the least, no one was prepared for such a sudden shift in life, neither mentally nor physically. In this pandemic scenario, it is dangerous, especially for elderly people with compromised immune systems and for the health of the workers employed on the front lines against this virus. People experienced fear of getting sick or dying, feelings of helplessness and stigma. In particular, the fear of one’s own health and of their loved ones, social distancing and the quarantine obligations have put a strain on the affective and emotional sphere of every individual. the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic downturn have taken a toll on the mental health of adults of all ages in the U.S. In July, a majority of U.S. adults 18 and older (53%) said that worry and stress related to coronavirus has had a negative impact on their mental health, up from 39% in May.(KFF, 2020)
The lockdown measures are often associated with a negative influence on psychological well-being. To cope with such mental unrest, the use of harmful substances has also increased. This ultimately leads to more health complications and the weaking of the immune system. “People with substance use disorders, notably those addicted to tobacco or opioids, are likely to have worse outcomes if they get COVID-19. That’s because these addictions can harm lung function and weaken the immune system, causing chronic conditions such as heart disease and lung disease, which increase the risk of serious complications from COVID-19.” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2020)
Material and Method
The goal of my study is to assess the extensive impact of Covid-19 on people. The material I used was a survey on Surveymonkey and sent it to 20 people (10 students and 10 adults). I kept it anonymous to avoid as much bias as possible. In the survey, I asked them questions related to each of the 5 major subjects. “What time did you go to bed before and after the lockdown?” “How have your habits changed in isolation and what time intervals do you eat: 1hr, 2 hrs. 3+hours or the three meals of the day?” “How often do your exercise?” “How have you been emotionally feeling these past months?” The adults survey also included this question: “Have you been taking any substances more than your usual amount?” This survey is inclusive of all demographics ranging from a high school student to an independent adult.
Results
Out of the 20 people, 15 responded (10 students and 5 adults). For the changes in sleep question the majority answered that their schedule had changed drastically to be being more than 2 hours late. It is because they lose track of time due to boredom. Eating habits also changed greatly with the majority of people eating between intervals of 1 or two hours. Along with that, the majority of the subjects have no exercise which is extremely dangerous to their health, especially the immune system. Also in terms of mental health, there is a stark imbalance between people who are on the positive side of the spectrum versus this on the negative. This is due to the fact that some people are mentally stronger than others. However, the results are not surprising considering that the majority is feeling depressed. When the question about adult consumption of harmful substances arises, the majority does consume frequently.
Discussion
There is no doubt Covid-19 has changed things for the worse. Most of the results from the research shows sign most common in depression. The most obvious cause of them would be isolation. The deprivation from human interaction causes our brain to be trapped in a dark room with no windows. People start to sleep late because they are busy trying to distract themselves from boredom, whether it be through social media or playing games Eating habits become more unhealthy because when someone has nothing to do they constantly keep eating. This paired with no physical activities such as exercise make a deadly combination. During times of high stress, it’s common to return to comfort foods. These are foods from our childhood, family, or other emotionally soothing time in our lives. They make us feel good by releasing neurotransmitters in the brain which interact with our mood and sense of well-being. (CentreSpringMD,2020) The number one killer in USA is heart disease and not exercising is not helping. Also, all these combined lead to people feeling down which leads to more consumption of harmful substances as a coping mechanism.
References
https://www.mayoclinic.org/mental-health-covid-19/art-20482731
