Essay Example on Stress: The Primary Emotion That Controls Our Lives

Introduction

Emotion is significant in our daily lives as it guides how we conduct ourselves. It is an emotion which moves an individual to actions; for instance, it is the emotion which leads doctors to work in hospitals despite the possible infection by the deadly coronavirus. It is the reasons why some countries go to war, and others cry out of joy after winning a prestigious trophy in sports. One of the primary emotion that has control over people is stress. Stress can be defined as the reaction that transpires within a living organism when it does not act in the required manner when faced with a threat (Murphy, 2014). Events such as the coronavirus pandemic may lead to extreme stress to the medical practitioners culminating into post-traumatic stress disorder.

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People who are Affected by Mental health and Ways of Helping them

According to the article Mental health and psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus has caused a lot of legitimate concerns all over the world (Kluge, 2020). The fears are logical reactions to how the lifestyle of people has changed and the unpredictability of the future. Everyone in the world is being affected economically, socially and psychologically with the pandemic. The primary objective now is how now people respond to the stress caused by the virus (Kluge, 2020). The mantle is now on individuals, family, and the community to ensure the stress is well managed to this rapidly developing problem. The people who suffer from mental health issues are vulnerable at this juncture. COVID-19 has deranged peoples life's with measures such as social distancing, and there are people out there with special psychological needs. Such people are really suffering, and it is up to the community and families to be calling to hear how they are faring on.

Children and the elderly are also a particular category whose mental health might be affected during this time. Children might be experiencing the fear of them or their loved ones dying during this coronavirus period. Some have even lost their loved ones, and this is not good for their mental health. Most schools are closed and cities on lockdown; they can no longer interact with their friends, and this adds stress to them. The social support that is pivotal for them to grow up as healthy children are missing (McDougall, 2011). Matters can even be worse if their homes are not conducive for children to grow up in. For instance, where the parents are abusive and mistreating them. Such changes are may be difficult for the children to handle, leading to the rise of mental health cases in children (McDougall, 2011). At this, juncture is primary to show love and assurance to the children.

The elderly are by far the most affected by the virus all over the world, and the fear and anxiety they are facing now are immense. They have been ruled as the most vulnerable group am this can be stressful. They have been isolated, meaning they are lonely, and this is bad on those with cognitive decline and mental health. To help them, it is significant to keep communication with them active. Social connection is paramount despite social distancing; they can use digital media to communicate. They can also undertake light physical activities, and if there is a lockdown, they can do simple aerobics in the house. The psychosocial support should also be readily available to attend to them.

Conclusion

Stress can affect the mental health of people, and it can be made worse by the pandemic the world is facing now. It is significant to have a positive outlook though it is hard. The COVID-19 epidemic is causing a lot of fear, stress and anxiety to everyone in the world. But we have the vulnerable groups in our midst, and it's our duty as the society to keep each other safe and connected during this hard time.

References

Kluge, H. (2020). Mental health and psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Euro.who.int. Retrieved from http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19/news/news/2020/3/mental-health-and-psychological-resilience-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.

McDougall, T. (2011). Improving mental health outcomes for children and young people. Mental Health Practice, 14(9), 22-24. https://doi.org/10.7748/mhp2011.06.14.9.22.c8524Murphy, G. (2014). A historical introduction to modern psychology. Routledge.