Recovery from Covid Anxiety, Depression, and Addiction
The Psychological Effects of Covid 19 – Anxiety, Depression, and Substance Abuse
Covid 19 has been like a massive storm that has passed through our lives and, at least for some of us, left behind lasting damage. This not only includes the physical issues related to long covid, but also psychological problems due to this worldwide catastrophe. Anxiety issues, depression, and substance abuse may be another obstacle that some of us will need to face.┬а
In one sense, things are now going back to normal in many parts of world, but, in another sense, things may never really be completely the same again. Our reality is changed with the knowledge that a virus can come along out of nowhere and dramatically alter our way of life.┬а On the positive side, it may mean we will appreciate our lives a bit more and not take freedom, like being able to travel abroad, for granted (please click on this post to read more about the importance of gratitude and appreciation).┬а
“Things falling apart is a kind of testing and also a kind of healing. We think that the point is to pass the test or to overcome the problem, but the truth is that things donтАЩt really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. ItтАЩs just like that.The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.тАЭ
Pema Chodren– When Things Fall Apart
How Has Covid 19 Impacted Our Lives
- Increased stress/anxiety due to financial insecurity.
- Anxiety about catching covid 19 or having a love one become infected.
- Increased sense of loneliness and social isolation due to lockdown restrictions.
- Changes in routine (e.g. having to work from home) causing people to feel imbalanced.
- A sense of great loss because of the idea that things will never go back to how they were pre-covid.
- Feeling alienated from other people because of mask wearing and social distancing.
- Stress-related sleep problems.
- Reduction to well-being due to spending too much time online during lockdown.
- Negative impact of attempting to self-medicate anxiety and depression using alcohol or other recreational drugs (see below).
- Issues related to using food (comfort eating) to deal with stress.
- Being less physically active during lockdown impacting mental health.
- Heightened anxiety due to being constantly bombarded with news about covid in the media.
Anxiety Issues Due to Covid 19
Anxiety is a normal part of life because it helps to keep us safe (e.g. it can encourage us to be more cautious when there is potential danger in our surroundings). When we talk about anxiety issues, we are referring to a more problematic relationships with this state. This can involve a range of issues such as general anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Those of us who had a pre-existing anxiety disorder may have experienced an increase in symptoms due to the pandemic. There will also be those of us who developed an anxiety disorder as a result of our experiences related to covid 19 (e.g. due to the trauma of being intubated in intensive care).
Depression Due to Covid 19
Depression (click on this post to find out more about depression) can be triggered by any event that puts us in a position where we feel powerless. During the epidemic, many of us have struggled with financial worries and experienced a loss of personal freedom (e.g. during lockdowns). Restrictions on the ability to socialize have also hit some of us hard. These are all potential triggers for depression, and there has been a 25% increase cases worldwide due to covid.
Substance Abuse Due to Covid 19
Self-medication involves using alcohol or other recreational drugs to help us deal with our problems. These substances can temporarily ease the symptoms of issues such as anxiety, loneliness, and depression, but they end up making our situation a whole loss worse. This is because our body will always develop tolerance for any drug we ingest, and this means we keep needing to use more to get the same effect. The more we use, the more negative effects we experience, and it doesn’t have to take long before we are caught up in addiction.
How to Recover from the Psychological Impact of the 19 Covid Pandemic
- Admit that there is a problem.
- Find support.
- Be honest with other people about what is going on.
- Listen to the concerns of loved ones. Denial can prevent us from seeing the truth of our situation.
- Speak to a therapist/counsellor.
- Don't allow shame to keep you stuck in pain.
- Be open to approaches/therapies that might help.
- Don't reject things just because they are not what you are used to.
- Do some research but donтАЩt be your own doctor.
- Understand that recovery can take time.
- Do some physical activity. Start slowly.
- Don't isolate. Connect with other people.
There is Always Hope
Here at Hope Rehab Thailand, we provide an internationally recognized program for the treatment of substance abuse/addiction, process addictions (e.g. gambling, porn, or internet addiction) depression, anxiety disorders, and other issues. An inpatient program can offer the best chance of long-term recovery, so contact our team now for a no-obligation chat.┬а
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