Self-management of fear due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the changes it has brought to the everyday life (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND The recent pandemic of the new coronavirus, COVID-19, has had financial and social repercussions apart from its consequences to the physical and mental health of humans. OBJECTIVE The aim of this work was to study the way of the self-management of stress and fear which has been caused by the pandemic crisis, as well as the impact of the pandemic on daily living. More specifically, the factors which influenced the management of the symptoms of fear, either in a positive or in a negative way, were studied, and also the ways individuals and their families use to manage fear. METHODS The method which was used was the case study of an adult female who lives and works in a Greek town, during the third curfew, in March 2021. The tool which was used for data collection was the semi-structured interview, by utilizing a questionnaire consisting of 10 open-ended questions. Before the start of the interview, a signed informed consent form was obtained. The questions were divided into three topic areas, with the first concerning the demonstration of stress before the pandemic broke out, the second concerning the fear during the pandemic, and the third dealing with the ways of managing fear, the availability of persons capable of helping, as well as the kind of help she could have sought to cope with this situation. RESULTS The results of this study showed the impact of the curfew restrictions for the management of the pandemic on the daily lives of the people who experience them. Before the start of the pandemic, stress was primarily related to work and to the need of maintaining a routine. Public fear intensified during the pandemic and the lockdown, both in relation to work and in relation to the pandemic itself, and also in relation to its effects on work and social life, and certainly on physical and mental health. Her stress affected the rest of her family members; however, her social network proved to be a significant support. CONCLUSIONS Stress and fear increased during the pandemic and the lockdown which was imposed in Greece in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This stress, which prior to the pandemic was focused mainly on work-related issues, spread to other areas of daily life, a fact that affected all the family members. Discussions and support from the husband, and also from the wider circle of family and friends, helped deal with and manage the situation which was caused by the pandemic, due to the special living conditions which were in force.

The impact of leukemia on quality of life and mental health: Insights from a case study examining physical, social, and cultural implications

“…Through a series of studies, it is evident that caregivers face the challenge of monitoring symptoms, communicating with medical staff, and particularly addressing practical issues stemming from leukopenia 26,27,28 . The extent of responsibilities and their impact on daily life was greater and more burdensome than what family caregivers had anticipated, even though they felt well-informed before hospital discharge 26 .…”

Societal attitudes towards psychiatric patients, medication, and the antipsychiatric movement within the context of theoretical approaches and inclusion initiatives. Τhe role of mental health professionals

“…Concern of the system is to protect the interests of the society. As long as it stands beyond of evaluative charged differences between social groups, its main concern is the prosperity of the society as a mass and contributes in it, providing a peaceful forum about the differences settlement (Vlachou et al, 2022).…”

“…Misconceptions and fear surrounding mental illness have perpetuated negative stereotypes and hindered efforts to provide adequate care and support. Moreover, the introduction of psychiatric medications, while revolutionary in many respects, has also been met with skepticism and resistance, fueling concerns about overmedication and the potential for adverse effects (Argyriadis et al, 2022).…”

Experıences of loss and theır management by ınformal caregıvers ın the communıty. Perceıved Qualıty of Lıfe of people wıth chronıc dıseases

“…Finally, questions 26 to 31 assess whether informal caregivers feel existential loss and have emotional needs after the death of the patient (variable "Guilt/Anger"). Questions 1-17 were based on the Core scale Bereavement, 9 while questions 18-31 were based on the BEQ-24 scale. 10 In the third section of the questionnaire, the level of mental health of informal caregivers of patients with chronic diseases (2024), Volume 10, Issue 2 https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/HealthResJ was assessed.…”

“…For this reason, 21 questions were formulated on a Likert scale: 0=Did not apply to me at all, 1=Applied to me to a certain extent, or for a short time, 2=Applied to me to a particular extent, or for a long time, 3=Applies to me very much, or most of the time. The questions assess the level of depression (questions 3,5,10,13,16,17,21), the level of stress (questions 1,6,8,11,12,14,18), and the stress level (questions 2,4,7,9,15,19,20) of informal caregivers of patients with chronic diseases. The questions were based on the DASS-21 scale of Lovibond and Lovibond 11 translated into Greek by Lyrakos et al 12…”