Health
Quarantine; The Mental Health Killer
During the pandemic, everyone’s mental health was affected and tested. These periods of isolation have proven to be the cause.
By Ana Perez
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October 07, 2021, 11:59pm, Prof. McIntosh, ENG 210
During quarantine, many excelled in finding new hobbies, interests, or a new skill, but many sunk into the deep hole of mental health disorders, like depression and anxiety. On a positive note, after all these things happen a wave of mental health awareness descended finding solutions to these problems.
I was one of those who the times of isolation lead to depression. During that time, I couldn’t get myself to do anything, as a result, my academics and personal relationships were impacted; it was a hard period. However, none of these things are new, quarantine has always had this reputation, even in the 14th century. According to the article, Epidemic, quarantine, and mental health, “Quarantine began in 14th century Venice, when ships from infected ports waited at anchor for 40 days before sailors were allowed ashore” (Chatterjee). From these regulations, quarantine has been the primary form of safety in the world.
Depression was, and still is, one the most prominent during the pandemic, followed by anxiety. However, depression was not the only mental health disorder after quarantine. In past pandemics, like the SARS epidemic in 2003, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was prevalent. According to statistics, “Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression were found in 28.9% and 31.2% respectively” (Chatterjee). The longer the quarantine, the worse the depression and PTSD people experienced. In my opinion, there are many factors that contribute to these mental disorders but being in isolation has proven to be the most impactful.
Quarantine has severe short-term effects; however, the long-term effects are more severe and serious. According to a report after the SARS outbreak, “3 years after the SARS outbreak, alcohol abuse or dependency symptoms were positively associated with having been quarantined in healthcare workers” (Brooks). These behaviors are avoidance behaviors, after the psychological distress of the pandemic, many people turn to alcohol and drugs to deal with the remains of the pandemic. This is an issue not only to the people experiencing it but to their relationships, careers, and personal lives.
The pandemic impacted everyone, however, in the latest studies, students across all classrooms have been the most affected. “In a recent report on the impact of student quarantining, the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 71%, while at an even more basic level of health, over 75% of students who were polled experience some type of reduction in sleep quality” (Krouse). Students tend to be the most affected because we tend to still be growing and developing, and for this to happen we need human interactions. Social interactions are viral for everyone, especially students, and when we are restricted from these things our mental health starts to be distressed.
Online learning was one of the methods adopted during the pandemic. It offered schools the opportunity to continue with education and learning, however, online learning had a major problem. When the pandemic hit, I was in the middle of my senior year in high school and had to graduate virtually. I entered City College online and let me tell you it was everything but easy. The lack of motivation and enthusiasm was off the charts and my GPA was already suffering. There were many students like me whose academics suffered severely, according to an article by Conor Krouse, the problem wasn’t the “…lack of focus with online classes, but the effects…translating to depression, a feeling of nonexistence, or even fits of frustration or rage” (Krouse). These factors all play a role in these students’ mental health problems during the pandemic.
We have enough statistics to prove the effect of quarantine on mental health from past pandemics and epidemics, however, after the Covid-19 pandemic, will have even more data on the impacts of quarantine and the virus itself on mental health. We can see that all these factors that result in mental health disorders circle back to the lack human interaction and communication. Human beings need to communicate with others to be able to grow and develop, not only that, but social interactions are also essential to every aspect of our health. Human beings who are often socializing and interacting with others tend to be healthier. It is important to check your mental health, if you ever experience a mental health crisis help is always available.
Bibliography
Brooks, Samantha K. “The Psychological Impact of Quarantine and How to Reduce It: Rapid Review of the Evidence.” Define_me, 14 Mar. 2020, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30460-8/fulltext.
Chatterjee, Kaushik, and V S Chauhan. “Epidemics, Quarantine and Mental Health.” Medical Journal, Armed Forces India, Elsevier, Apr. 2020, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7176378/.
Guest, SAP. “SAP BrandVoice: The Mental Health Impact of Quarantine on University Students.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 15 Apr. 2021, https://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2021/04/15/the-mental-health-impact-of-quarantine-on-university-students/?sh=70e67a6d42b6.
