– stakeholders urge Guyanese as COVID-19, post-election politics cause ‘double trouble’

PICTURE this: You wake up early in the morning and the first thing you do is reach for your cell phone, which has been charging at your bedside all night. The first thing you do is open one of your various social media platforms, and immediately you may be bombarded by news or information (including pseudo-remedies!) about the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. Further, coronaviruses are a family of viruses, of which several are known to cause respiratory infections and illnesses in humans and animals.

Subsequent to the outbreak of COVID-19, in Wuhan, China, around December 2019, it has spread across the globe, becoming a pandemic. The threat of illness and even death are associated with the coronavirus. Many stakeholders, however, contend that there is much more to contend with.

“With the current pandemic, I don’t view it as just a global health crisis, but I view it as a global mental health crisis as well,” says Shinelle Bayrd, Founder and President of The Wellness Center (TWC), a local mental health support organisation.

Similarly, Trinidadian Clinical Therapist and Traumatologist, Hanif Benjamin, underscored that the pandemic and the ensuing ramifications may have an ill effect on one’s mental health.

Let’s revisit the picture we began painting: In light of the pandemic. The WHO has advised that ‘social distancing’ becomes the new norm, as less physical human contact helps to reduce the spread of the virus. This has led to the reduction in operations or the outright shutdown of many places, including schools, places of employment and ‘hang out’ spots. So naturally, social interactions have become heavily dependent on social media.

“We are dealing with a range of emotions that we’re not accustomed to dealing with because persons usually keep themselves busy, whether through work, school or their social life and because of the fact that we can’t get to do these things, it’s taking a significant toll on us like we haven’t seen before,” Bayrd said. This mental “toll” is not only exacted on persons with pre-existing mental health conditions but according to her, it may also be affecting persons who may now be developing anxiety due to the pandemic.

Hanif, like Bayrd, highlighted that the pandemic has led to many persons becoming more anxious, fearing the various unknowns of the virus, including when it will end, what devastation will be caused next and simply, whether persons’ loved ones will be harmed. Bayrd noted, too, that with the reduction in operations, many people may be stressed over finances. The resulting isolation, though necessary, adds to the mental strain already ensuing.

Overall, she said, “it is taking a significant toll on us mentally, physically and emotionally.”

DOUBLE TROUBLE

In Guyana, however, the pandemic is exacerbated by the political climate. Guyana’s politics has been marred by tension for decades, and this tension becomes amplified whenever political elections are held within the country.

On March 2, Guyana held its most recent Regional and General elections. Leading up to those elections, local psychologist, Balogun Osunbiyi, told this newspaper that an election season is a “highly charged” or “heightened” period of time, and this period may adversely affect persons if their expectations are not managed, or it might make them anxious.

The psychologist’s sentiments were illustrated when, in the days following the completion of the elections, there was much tension and even strife as emotional supporters took to social media and in some cases, the streets. To date, more than one month later, a new government has not been installed or reinstalled. And, barely two weeks after March 2, Guyana recorded its first case of COVID-19, which in itself became a politicised matter.

“We went from dealing with that political situation which created a lot of tension and a lot of anxiety amongst a lot of Guyanese, and, before we even got a chance to take a breather, we went straight into this pandemic,” Bayrd said. “Taking us from that political climate into this (pandemic), it is too much for any one person or any one population to deal with.”

Let’s complete the picture we began painting in the two previous instances. While scrolling through social media, inundated with COVID-19 updates, Guyanese can also expect to see constant post-election updates. Whether it’s about the national recount of votes or the latest local statistics on COVID-19, naturally, persons are inclined to stay informed. Thus, Guyanese contend with this political epidemic within the global pandemic. It is a test of anyone’s mental wellness.

“We are not sure when either of the two will end, and I think that is what will create more frustration because we’re not seeing an end to this political situation and we’re not seeing an end to this pandemic,” Bayrd said.

Furthermore, she said that while the TWC can give tips on how to safeguard one’s mental wellness during the pandemic, the reality is that people cannot completely block out the “information overload” being disseminated that may cause anxiety or stress.

WHAT TO DO?

How then do persons attempt to navigate the double trouble in Guyana? Well, according to Bayrd, it is going to be a challenge to surmount, but the solutions must all begin with persons making the conscious effort to not become stuck in this quagmire.

“Life still goes on after this, we don’t know when it will end but it must end at some time… and what we should do is to think about the after and not be too consumed by the now,” she related.

Bayrd and Hanif, and even Balogun all emphasised the importance of ‘unplugging’ from social media and the constant updates, whether for COVID-19, Guyana’s politics, or both. In doing so, persons can try to reduce their intake of the information, and, if possible, schedule certain times of the day when they would look at the news or actively look for updates.

Social distancing has been outlined as one of the mechanisms to stop the spread of COVID-19, but Bayrd underscored that this social distancing means physical distancing and not a complete disconnection from human interaction. For persons with pre-existing mental health conditions, and even those who may now be developing anxiety, staying social is imperative.

“Stay social and find new ways of connecting virtually,” Bayrd advised, noting that in light of the pandemic online platforms have found their popularity for family meetings, games nights, devotional sessions and even music parties.

She noted that though it is not her cup of tea, she was pleasantly surprised to see virtual parties such as the ‘Stag in yuh bedroom’ parties which cater to people who enjoy that social vibe. On social media platforms, these parties have found favour and essentially features a live stream of a DJ playing music where persons can tune in to watch and to enjoy themselves as though they were in an actual party

She also suggested that persons remember to take care of their physical body by eating well and exercising, despite being at home. Meditation, through which persons can practise mindfulness and navigate through their feelings; listening to music; painting, drawing or doing anything creative; and even, cooking were other suggestions.

“Whatever works for you, tailor it to suit the situation and just take some time to unwind,” she said.

Adding to this, Hanif advised that persons try to create some sort of routine amidst them having to work from home, care for the family or even attend school. According to him, this helps persons to feel as though they have some control over the situation, and, in so doing, keeps some of the anxiety at bay.

“As we continue to understand anxiety, you need to understand what you can and cannot control,” Benjamin said.