Team Clinomania Grade 11 Stem St.

Barbara

COVID-19 Pandemic Repercussions Toward One’s Mental Health

Depression is the first effect that the COVID-19 pandemic brought to every

country. The number of people developing depression doubled since the start of

the pandemic. The reasons are loneliness, self-isolation, loss of a job for adults,

and school for students, which contribute to the development of depression (Lee,

et.al., 2019). During this pandemic, people are advised to stay at home to lessen

the probability of acquiring the virus; thus, people are limited to socialize.

Quarantine and social distancing are necessary precautions to lessen the

transmission of the COVID-19 virus, which gives rise to loneliness. Being alone

for weeks or months trigger people into a state of depression since they do not

have anyone to vent their feelings. One example is the 14-day quarantine for

people from overseas and people who came in contact with a person infected.

People under 14-day quarantine are isolated away from their loved ones, and all

that is left for them to do is think, and overthinking causes depression.

As a result of a survey at Bangladesh University, 392 out of 476 students

show symptoms of depression. The foundations of depression in university

students are the uncertainty of an academic career and financial insecurities

(Islam, et.al., 2020). Everyone is adjusting in this time of the pandemic, including

schools and universities; thus, students, especially college students, are greatly

affected mentally. Online learning and distance learning are implemented to

continue the school year, but it is not sufficient for everyone. Numerous students

experience difficulty in coping with the new normal setup, and some resulted in
suicide. A 19-year-old student was found lifeless in their hut near the Barangay. It

was stated that the stress came from the cost of purchasing load or the internet

to participate in online classes. Pandemic has affected the education sector

severely. Many children and students could not enroll this school year due to a

lack of money and resources to cope with the new normal. From there, it can be

inferred that the lack of money triggers depression in most students.

The risk of depression is steeply increased by unemployment. The 10.8%

of 35–64-year-old unemployed people report depressive symptoms versus the

3.5% of occupied peers (ISTAT 2018). At this time of the pandemic, financial

problems and mental stability are common triggers of depression. The world

economy is in recession, and many businesses are cost-cutting or worse shutting

down, which gives rise to mass unemployment. Another reason for mass

unemployment is to avoid mass gathering. Several companies undergo mass

unemployment to cost cut and to follow safety protocols. As people lose their job

and financial problems arise. People suffer about where to get their basic needs.

The unemployment rate, worry, financial problem, and the pandemic altogether

triggers depression in most people. Service workers are the most affected by the

pandemic protocols. This category includes a broad range of occupations – such

as restaurant waiters, security guards, janitors, and most typically on-site duties;

require face-to-face interactions.