Lockdowns, movement restrictions, unemployment, loneliness, losing loved ones, rise in death rates and social distancing are just some of the words that one can use to describe the last two years. The pandemic changed every little part of our lives including our social interactions, how we work, where we work, and how we view the people around us.
As we tried our best to adapt to the new norm, some people struggled with feelings of anxiety and depression. “Clinically, there has been an increase in the level of health anxiety that people experience–whether it is for their own well-being or that of their loved ones,” explains Dishaa Desai, a clinical psychologist at Mumbai-based Mpower. She tells us, “There has been a rise in people turning to substance use as a way to cope with depressive symptoms that have been a result of the uncertainty of the pandemic.” Non-clinically, Desai has found that people have reached their tipping point as ambiguity mounts due to the new Omicorn COVID-19 variant.