The world continues to grapple with the effects of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) with thousands of cases and ensuing deaths reported, leading to a total lockdown in many countries. Experts believe that this may cause short and long-term psychological problems.

Sylvestre Twizerimana, a clinical psychologist in Rwanda, says the impact includes anxiety and fear — strong enough to disrupt people’s daily lives and affect general health.

He says some people have already suffered panic attacks which can be characterised by accelerated heartbeats, high blood pressure, and loss of appetite, as well as stress that causes restlessness.

Other possible effects he says could be hypervigilance, which brings about a state of increased anxiety and can cause exhaustion.

All these, Twizerimana says, might not be due to underlying medical problems, rather, what’s happening at the moment.

What to put into consideration

Experts believe that pandemic diseases not only affect socio-economic systems, but general wellbeing.

Omer Mayobera, a peacebuilding and development practitioner with knowledge in psychology, says the biggest hazard with such pandemics is that everyone is at risk, which, he believes, triggers a lot of fear.

In the case of COVID-19, the only solution is to self-isolate, which unfortunately affects production, continuous creation of capital, which will leave many people deprived. And this is exactly what sparks fear and creates anxiety.

"It’s certain that there is a lot of confusion, panic, and uncertainty because of the prevailing situation,” he observes.

This, he says, if ignored could result in even bigger issues.

The effects

Experts say that fear and anxiety are as contagious as the virus itself, and in hard times like this where COVID-19 brings countless destruction, awareness on mental health impact should be done.

Emmanuela Mahoro, a Kigali-based psychologist, says stigma is on the rise and is in many ways a danger to mental health.

Stigma, she says, may lead to hopelessness, that may in turn result in suicide, if nothing is done to curb it.

Master Dean Siminoff, founder of Martial Arts for Justice, a registered Canadian charity, who has been teaching martial arts in Canada and Rwanda, says if we allow it, fear will become trapped in our bodies in very much the same way our bodies react to trauma.

"The threat we fear may be real, but the threat we are all facing today we cannot see. This makes how we manage it much more difficult,” he adds.

Siminoff says fear without action will begin to cause a lot of stress, and stress is not healthy at all.

He further notes that fear, trauma or stress trapped in our bodies can begin with symptoms like; poor sleep, headaches, becoming easily angered or snappy, stomach problems, loss of appetite, body pain and more — these things left untreated will just get worse.

The way forward

Siminoff says the first thing one should do is to think about how they feel in their body.

He says that this should start from the heart, and other parts of the body. Adding that it’s essential to notice your breathing as well, how it has changed.

"Now when you understand your body’s reaction to fear, you will better understand how to process fear with physical activity,” he says.

He points out that one should keep in mind that just because the body is reacting in a certain way, we have a choice of how we react or how we can change our response.

Another easy way to notice fear, he says, is how we breathe.

"When fear hits our body, it actually has a bad effect on our breathing by affecting the diaphragm. However, when we do positive breathing exercises, we send new positive signals to the rest of the body and brain,” he says.

Another thing one can do during this time to stay calm is to remind ourselves who we are.

He says reminding ourselves through the mantra; ‘I am strong, I am beautiful, I am loved’, will begin to programme reassurance and also send new positive signals to our brain.

On the other hand, Twizerimana observes that in this situation, its ideal for every individual to be well informed with the right information on the disease, from the right sources.

He adds that another vital aspect is self-help exercises.

This, he notes, includes breathing exercises, adding that it should be done by all members of the family so that everyone is at ease.

Twizerimana adds that while at home, it’s essential to get involved in some physical exercises.

"You don’t need a lot of equipment to be able to exercise, do some push-ups, skip or jog; there are many ways to stay physically healthy,” he says.

Joseph Uwiragiye, the head of nutrition department at University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), says it’s difficult for people to avoid overeating during this lockdown period.

He recommends being cautious about the type of food you consume, making sure to stick to a healthy diet.

"Your health is still important, therefore, making sure you are taking in only what your body requires is important. People should avoid eating just because they are at home, instead, eat when there is a need to and do it the right way with the right food choice,” he advises.

Mayobera says because of COVID-19 disturbance, there will be much needed professional attention and care for weeks, months and possibly, years to come.

"Aftermath of the deadly virus is not known for sure, but there is definite loss,” he says.

He says in the aftermath of any critical and traumatic situation, psychosocial reactions and socio-economic responses are quite common and fairly predictable.

Twizerimana says the world should also get ready for emotional disturbances, such as fear to go back to work, public gatherings and schools.

He says management is in very quick awareness of facts about COVID-19, and stop rumours that harmfully reinforce fear of the disease.