The Mental Health Impact of Quarantine in COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Due to the increasing number of COVID-19 infections, most countries are facing the pressure of controlling the virus's spreading. Plenty of governments have enforced restrictions on most outdoor activities or even collective quarantine. People who have potential contact with the infection are asked to get quarantine at home. Despite quarantine can bring benefits to the public good, it also deprives people's liberty. Most studies have suggested that quarantine can cause adverse psychological effects not merely from external pressure but also the widespread emotional distress. In the present study, the research investigated the different stressors and mental health problems in quarantine and positive psychology as potential solutions based on reviewing existing literature. The difference between COVID-19 and other pandemics will also be taken into consideration. According to the analysis, the quarantine in COVID-19 is stricter, and the negative psychological implications are mainly anxiety of financial losses and the fear of infecting family members. Mental health care providers can play an essential role in addressing these apprehensions and mitigating the pressure. These results shed light on the necessity of mental health interventions in the quarantine, and the government should give attention to the quarantine-related mental illness.