Way back in the spring of last year, I wrote about a pandemic of posttraumatic stress disorder that would descend upon us because of COVID-19. At the time, we were told that, by summer – June or July 2020 – all the steps we needed to take to stay ahead of the virus, including remaining socially distant, and yes, even wearing masks, would be over. Life would get back to normal.
Dr. Robert T. London
Little did we know that a national plan for our safety, including making sure that we had enough masks and PPE, would not be forthcoming, and that so many thousands of Americans would perish, leaving millions of distraught families and friends.
So many people are suffering. Mothers, for example, are struggling to balance remote schooling with additional child care and domestic work. More than 2 million women left the U.S. workforce last year between February 2020 and October 2020, according to a report by the National Women’s Law Center. Even before COVID-19, loneliness among young adults was considered a domestic epidemic – and the social isolation forced by the pandemic has worsened those trends, research shows. These trends are creating so much more anxiety, depression, despair, and yes, even PTSD. As mental health professionals, we have a lot of work to do in educating people about coping skills and in providing treatments when appropriate.
Experiences take on new meaning
One day a friend and professional colleague called me, and he sounded quite distraught. He had not been able to reach his primary care physician and thought that, as a physician, I might have some insights about his symptoms. He began telling me that something really strange was happening whenever he walked around outside with his mask on. He couldn’t breathe with it on, he told me. In addition, his eyes teared up, his nose started running, and his eyeglasses fogged up so much that he couldn’t see where he was going. He was really anxious, nervous, and felt a great sense of despair – and disorientation. He did not fully understand what was happening and didn’t know whether those disorienting symptoms were mask-related or whether he was incubating some yet undiagnosed illness.
I addressed his concerns in the moment by assuring him that I, too, had been experiencing similar challenges with fogged-up glasses and a runny nose; many people were experiencing some of the same things. I explained that even I had called an allergist to find out whether I might be allergic to some component in the mask and whether he had seen those symptoms in his practice.
Albeit, those issues tied to masks are relatively minor, compared with the enormous psychological toll this pandemic has taken on some people. But it’s clear that different people suffer different effects in light of the marked changes in life and lifestyles caused by the pandemic.
‘It’s something else’
Two people I know, both professionals, recently told me that in their social lives they constantly feel tired and anxious, and that their concentration has diminished. They worry more about their futures, they told me separately. (They don’t know each other.) They reported going through daily life “like being on automatic.” Both said they were far too irritable and reported feeling that social isolation had dulled their thinking.
They said they were not depressed; “it’s something else.” I reassured them both that this would pass with time and suggested that they work at not socially isolating – to the extent that they can – during the pandemic. I also encouraged them to get vaccinated and to talk with a professional if their malaise was altering their level of functioning.
So far, more than 475,000 people in the United States have died of COVID-19, and thousands continue to suffer. People are saying goodbye to loved ones on iPads, and watching news stories about hospitals at overcapacity and refrigeration units storing bodies. Meanwhile, health care workers, many of whom are putting their lives and those of their families at risk, are reporting increased levels of burnout – and moral injury.
Value of relaxation techniques
We know that the latest mitigation measures advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must continue during the COVID-19 vaccination process. The new CDC guidelines on the value of double masking make sense and should be followed. However, even as we learn more about the virus and how to stop its spread, we must recognize that social distancing is not the same as social isolation. We must continue to do what we can to maintain social relationships and keep open the lines of communication, including the use of virtual tools. I am pleased to see the growth of telemedicine during the pandemic. When applicable, telemedicine allows greater medical and mental health care without the stress of travel and the risk of exposure to more people than necessary.
, whether it’s hypnosis, mindfulness, transcendental meditation, or deep breathing exercises. For the more advanced therapies, guided imagery can help patients develop a sense of calm and equanimity.
For those who are not skilled in relaxation techniques, YouTube offers some excellent programs that teach relaxation and mindfulness. Another thing I do is talk regularly with people I know and sometimes with people I know I’ll disagree with – just to keep my brain active. I also try to learn new things in my spare time to establish new brain pathways and stay mentally active.
The pain and grief tied to the pandemic are unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. Our training as psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health care professionals makes us all uniquely suited to assist patients as they process these traumatic times. We must step forward and do so.
Dr. London is a practicing psychiatrist and has been a newspaper columnist for 35 years, specializing in and writing about short-term therapy, including cognitive-behavioral therapy and guided imagery. He is author of “Find Freedom Fast” (Kettlehole Publishing, 2019). He has no conflicts of interest.