With a year gone by since the words “pandemic”, “quarantine”, “self-isolation”, and “social distancing” became a part of our everyday vocabulary, it is surprising to note that Covid-19 is still surging and spreading its menacing tendrils every which way. As Pakistan endeavours to battle against the third wave of the raging virus, it seems that the country has come full circle in its journey through the pandemic. Strict lockdowns are being enforced just as they were when the number of Covid-19 cases first began to escalate at an alarming rate in March of 2020.

Despite the twelve-month period between the outbreak of the virus and now; and regardless of the changes it has brought about in the world around us; it is as though time has stood frozen and life has remained stagnant since the World Health Organisation (WHO) first declared a global health crisis and called Covid-19 a rapidly-growing pandemic. The feeling that life has not progressed past the point of the virus outbreak has taken a toll on all of us.

As plans, short-term and long-term alike, were disrupted; lockdowns were imposed; and people were confined to their homes, healthcare professionals had expressed concern of a possible spike in mental health issues amongst populations affected by the pandemic. Their fears hbeen shown to be well-founded as all around the world there has been an increase in the reports of anxiety, depression, and distress. The growing mental health problems, especially amongst what health workers call vulnerable populations, are seen by experts as a direct consequence of the virus permeating the lives of millions of people worldwide.

The need for social distancing and self-isolation or quarantine prescribed upon being infected or being exposed to an infected person has caused a rupture in our social lives that has, inevitably, led to increased isolation and the prevalence of loneliness. Reduced social interaction and the loneliness have had an adverse effect on the mental health of many. Dr Joshua Klapow, a clinical psychologist has said, “When loneliness kicks in, we have feelings of hopelessness. We have feelings of helplessness that can lead typically to depression or substance use.”

In addition to the mental strain that results from the isolation caused by social-distancing and quarantining, people have been subject to mental distress due to the ever-changing economic and social conditions. From the imposition of large-scale lockdowns to the introduction of smart lockdowns; the situation of workers suffering from huge pay-cuts to employees being laid off; the women and children stuck in abusive households; and the mandatory switch to online-learning methods to the implementation of work-from-home systems, numerous groups of people have found their lives to have been heavily impacted by the pandemic. Not only has it restricted their mobility and affected their mental health by shackling them to their homes, it has also placed an immense pressure on them to adapt to the “new normal”.

Adapting to the extraordinary circumstances has been both physically and mentally challenging because of the unpredictability of the course the virus might take over the coming months. The unpredictable nature of the virus is one of the major reasons why numerous lives have been upended. This, in turn, has resulted in mental suffering across the globe. Since there is no way to ascertain when circumstances will revert to normal, even now that several vaccines have been developed and are being administered, many people find themselves stuck in a mental space that is becoming increasingly harmful for them. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director general, has acknowledged that the mental health implications of the pandemic are likely to continue to impact our lives in the near future and stated that the experience will lead to “mass trauma.”

Witnessing the sickness or death of loved ones, living with the fear and anxiety of falling sick to a potentially fatal illness, enduring financial difficulties in the face of losing employment, suffering greater abuse at home are just some of the innumerable challenges and painful circumstances that the pandemic has resulted in, by virtue of which the mental health of many has deteriorated. The pain, trauma, and hardships of the past year serve as an explanation for the larger numbers of stress, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and depression cases. They also speak of the resilience with which we, as human beings, have combatted an unforeseen, deadly virus and dealt with its aftermath.

The writer is a graduate of LUMS and can be reached on Instagram at @sanateewrites_