Stress in the Era of COVID-19

Assist. Prof. Dr. Ameena S. M. Juma
Department of General Biology
Cihan University-Erbil

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a big challenge to our psychological resilience. It is well documented that there is a direct relation between the immune response and stress. Stress is known to cause immunosuppression. Because all reports indicate that to fight COVID-19, a good immune status is required, it is essential to control our stress levels.

What are people stressed about?

The answer of this question differs depending on the individuals

1. Contracting the disease or a member of their family might contract the disease.

2. The panic among people in the markets to collect food and accessories.

3. Staying at home has had an impact on some individuals, where depression is noted among a large group, especially those who are used to going out frequently during the week to cafeterias and malls and socializing.

4. Addiction to the NEWS and social media, most of which are misleading.

5. The loss of the systemized productive life that some people were used to is another issue. Staying late at night busy with their smart phones or playing games, and then waking up late, or what we call the distress of our biological clock.

6. Following safety and sanitary measures is so stressful to many people.

7. Last but not least, the people who are working in the Ministries of Health and Interior have a great burden of keeping themselves and others safe. God bless them.

It is essential to learn to control our stress. Time management is one of the important steps in addition to being busy with your hobbies, like reading, drawing, sewing, cooking etc. are all good measures to overcome this stress.