BY MARILYN C. ARAYATA
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MORE people in many parts of the world are becoming anxious and depressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The World Health Organizational (WHO) noted, “As the coronavirus pandemic rapidly sweeps across the world, it is inducing a considerable degree of fear, worry, and concern in the population at large and among certain groups in particular, such as older adults, care providers, and people with underlying health conditions.”
Doctors Pfefferbaum and North also emphasized, “Uncertain prognoses, looming severe shortages of resources for testing and treatment and for protecting responders and health care providers from infection, imposition of unfamiliar public health measures that infringe on personal freedoms, large and growing financial losses, and conflicting messages from authorities are among the major stressors that undoubtedly will contribute to widespread emotional distress and increased risk for psychiatric illness associated with COVID-19” (The New England Journal of Medicine).
The situation in our country is not totally different, so it’s the best time to spread more love and kindness. What can you do right now to help alleviate someone’s pain and burden? Think of senior citizens and people living alone whose movements are limited due to the virus scare and the government-imposed community quarantine. Think of displaced workers, single parents, and persons with disability. Think of sick people and their families, as well as those who lost a loved one during this time.
Be extra kind, thoughtful, and helpful. Give a tip if you can afford it. A smile, a kind word, a basket of fruits, a forwarded text or private message – each could mean a lot to anxious and hurting persons. There are countless people who look okay, but whose mental health is in danger. Ask how someone is doing. Listen, even if you have troubles of your own. Find out how you can help someone you know (a relative, a classmate, a long-lost friend) and even someone you don’t know. Give, but don’t overdo it. Don’t strain yourself. If you are capable of doing something for others, do it now. The world needs more love and kindness in this time of crisis.
