Lakshmi Kothaneth: As the number of COVID-19 patients in ICU increases, authorities have requested the public to practice all safety measures to combat the virus. As the economic activities have been opening up in a measured manner, the gatherings have increased.
Not every coronavirus infection case might turn out to be serious, as in the case of Nasser H and his mother; both had the symptoms of cold, fever and headache along with lack of smell and taste. “It lasted maybe a day or two then just disappeared,” he says.
For others the experience might be more difficult, but the impact it has on mind could have been overlooked.
“More than the sickness of COVID-19 the patient finds it difficult to tackle the fear associated with it. They need the complete support of the family and friends. The patient has to be assured that they are not going to die because of COVID-19. They have to focus on keeping the mind positive, take as much as healthy food as possible, keep their mind active and yes afterwards there will be tiredness which lasts for a long time. If you do not take care of your health it is going to affect you in the long run,” says Tina S who recovered from the ordeal of COVID-19.
Maintaining a positive mind is equally important to getting the right medication, says Dr Hamad al Sinawi, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital.
Studies have shown the mind-body interaction. For example, feelings of loneliness can help to predict health status — perhaps because lonely people have more psychological stress or experience it more intensely and that stress in turn tamps down immunity.
Dr Al Sinawi explains further, “It is also no surprise that depression hurts immunity. It is also linked to other physical problems such as heart disease. At the same time, depression may both reflect a lack of social support and/or cause someone to withdraw from social ties. Both can be stressful and hurt the body’s ability to fight infection.”
While Tina was lucky to be with family, Mahesh U was at a field location when he began to sense some of the COVID-19 symptoms. Now totally recovered and in the comfort of his home and in the company of family, Mahesh recollects the coronavirus days.
“AS I had the symptoms our company doctor asked to visit the local clinic at the place I was staying. The test confirmed the diagnosis. The symptoms were high fever, headache, throat and body pain, cough as well as loss of smell and taste. As there is no specific medication for COVID-19 the doctor gave me panadol, cough syrup and antibiotics for my throat pain and pain killers for my body pain. But I suffered all these symptoms for three days and I felt better overall by the fourth day except for lack of smell and taste which lasted for 10 days,” explained Mahesh.
He was eating a healthy diet which included fruits in addition to the intake of multivitamins as the doctor had advised him to take vitamin C.
He made sure he watched a lot of movies that helped to pass time. After fourteen days he was perfectly all right and it was then he lost the fear.
“Now wherever I go I do not have the fear because I have experienced it. What I want to tell others is not to panic. Doctors will treat the symptoms,” he advised.
Since the start of pandemic the whole focus is on the patients who get the coronavirus infection. It is not just the patients but the relatives also go through the trauma due to the uncertainty.
It comes as a shock to the patient when he gets to know that the test report is positive confirming the infection and also to the other family members,” explained Dr Dilip Singhvi, Internal Medicine Specialist, who has been a frontline doctor during the pandemic period.
“Some patients have both symptoms of anxiety and depression especially as the patient has to isolate for the next 2 weeks and cannot meet any of his family members or wife or children. Apart from treating the patient for his physical illness which we as treating physicians do, we should also council the patients regarding their mental health, motivate them with positive thoughts and energy, treat them with empathy so that they can tide over next 2 or 3 weeks of the illness, also family has a big role to play here,” he noted.
The doctor explained that families should be in constant touch with patients, especially wife, children or partners, other members like parents or sisters or brothers. Fortunately, the technology now has provided so many platforms by which one can interact face to face via audio or video means and can keep motivating with positive vibes, can help by doing some meditation, prayers, or play games, watch movies, music etc. This all helps in creating positive energy and takes him away from depressive thoughts.
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