Even as the country grapples with the crippling second wave of Covid-19, experts are pointing to the rise of another parallel pandemic of mental illness. “We have observed a four-to-five-fold increase in anxiety and depression in India and globally,” says Dr Rajesh Parikh, director of medical research at Jaslok Hospital. He adds that one of the biggest contributors to this distress is the complete change in lifestyle that the pandemic has imposed. These stresses are often exacerbated by a positive diagnosis.  

“Many patients in our Covid ward develop a lot of mental health issues after testing positive. They become consumed by the fear that they will succumb to the virus. This anxiety can result in panic attacks and palpitations. Those who are hospitalised are prone to depression. Everyone they encounter, including doctors and staff, is wearing PPE suits; this lack of human contact can heighten anxiety,” explains Dr Priyanka Thukral Mahajan, a consultant psychiatrist at Masina Hospital. With people constantly being bombarded by news images and statistics about hospital ICUs and Covid-related deaths, they subconsciously associate a positive diagnosis with dire outcomes, adds Dr Parikh. Then, there is also the secondary anxiety of infecting family members, especially elders. “The social ostracism that comes from your apartment or building complex being sealed and declared a containment zone can cause anxiety and depression,” he observes.