Uncertainty Induced Emotional Disorders During the COVID-19

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Background

The globally devastating effects of COVID-19 are unprecedented within most of our lifetimes. The effects of the pandemic, the associated restrictions in social, occupational, and healthcare settings have interrupted not only the realm of public health, but also the psychosocial interaction. A recent study found that more than 30% of its respondents suffer from anxiety symptoms or psychological stress, and more than half the respondents show general concerns about the pandemic or that family members might be infected. Many more people, such as family members from the people contracted with the virus are more directly exposed to the COVID-19, and easily develop stressful mental response. Most of them showed mental problems in the initial stage of the pandemic, such as helplessness, anxiety, and adaptation disorder. At the middle stage, they showed symptoms such as panic disorder, depression, sleep disorders, obsessive-compulsive thinking and behavior, and empathy fatigue. Due to the long-term exposure in the middle stage to depressed environment, they showed a range of serious negative emotions, such as a prolonged grief disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and even suicidal ideation.

In order to resolve these problems, timely psychological cares are needed. First, knowledge, empathy, solidarity, cooperation and unity are the key factors. Second, it is important to identify those who were at mild negative emotions and to enhance their self-regulated abilities. Third, a body-mind counselor is needed for a professional psychosomatic evaluation, and mental prevention guidance needs to be set up by mental health professionals. Fourth, it is important to arrange a personalized leisure activities and trainings to help the reduction of the psychological distress. Furthermore, psychological counselors are also required to provide support to the healthcare worker. Finally, it is important for psychological workers to prevent the family members from developing into serious mental disorders at the last stage.

Maintaining mental health, especially for the people infected by the virus, is essential to control the infectious diseases, although the best way to resolve this problem during the outbreak may still be unclear. Therefore, recent studies have reported some ways to effectively prevent the mental problems, such as physical exercises, meditation, and mindfulness. In this Research Topic, we welcome studies which focused on the emotional problems due to the pandemic and ways to help people with mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, etc. The topic might include but not limit to the following:
• Epidemic prevalence of mental health problems in special groups of people;
• Mental health problems induced by the uncertainty about COVID-19, such as depression, anxiety, panic, PTSD, or social relations;
• The cognition, emotion, and neural reasons for these mental health issues;
• Psychological interventions for the mental health problems or for the recovery of COVID-19 patients;
• Case reports that use some psychological interventions to help cured COVID-19 patients;
• Mental health problems induced by isolation/quarantine in the general public.

Keywords: psychological problems, anxiety, depression, COVID-19, mental health

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