With stay at home orders and heightened stress levels due to the coronavirus pandemic, this is the time when mental health can be compromised if it is not taken care of.
The absence of regular social activities due to the pandemic gives very little opportunity for people to keep themselves distracted, which can increase pressure on mental health.
Health experts say maintaining a normal schedule as much as possible is important as this time.
Psychiatrist Dr Chencho Dorji says, “What I suggest for people who are feeling anxious is to maintain a good sleep pattern, practise some breathing and muscle relaxation exercise. Include at least 30 minutes of physical exercise everyday, eat regularly and healthy because a lot of people are spending time in front of a TV or inside the house.”
While it is important to stay informed, health experts recommend people to minimise watching, reading or listening to news about COVID-19 that can trigger anxiety.
Dr Chencho says it is important to be well informed and people should follow information from reliable and credible sources to avoid unnecessary panic and anxiety.
Recognising the importance of taking care of mental health during the current scenario, the Health Ministry has formed a working group led by Dr Chencho Dorji to plan, prepare and roll out mental health and psychosocial response to Covid-19.
As part of these efforts, direct telephone counselling service was established at the national level and training of first responders on psychological first aid has been rolled out.
“We have trained around 1500 Desuups and 100 health workers in Thimphu on psychological first aid so far,” says Dr Chencho,“Psychological first aid is important for everybody in a disaster situation. It prepares frontline service provider, with vital skills like what exactly to look for, what to listen and how to link services.”
The team has also developed around 12 standard operating procedures to increase the efficiency of services in the time of crisis. Starting next week, the team will launch SOPs in all the districts and roll out trainings.
Sonam Pem
