Assessing And Evaluating The Psychosocial Impact Of The Covid 19 Pandemic On Anxiety And Stress Perspectives From East Asia

This Research Topic is part of our Regional Perspectives series. Other regionally focused collections in this series: Assessing and Evaluating the Impact of The Covid-19 Pandemic on Anxiety and Stress: Perspectives from Eastern Europe and Central Asia Assessing and Evaluating the Impact of The Covid-19 Pandemic on Anxiety and Stress: Perspectives from North America Assessing and Evaluating the Impact of The Covid-19 Pandemic on Anxiety and Stress: Perspectives from South America Assessing and Evaluating the Impact of The Covid-19 Pandemic on Anxiety and Stress: Perspectives from the Indian Sub-Continent The Covid-19 pandemic has unduly affected the mental health care system and mental health well-being of people globally due to a plethora of potential impacts on our own health, health care systems, and the economy amongst others. While waves of Covid-19 fluctuate globally, challenges to providing appropriate mental health care services and developing effective solutions in terms of prevention and treatment for anxiety and stress-related disorders remain major concerns. As the pandemic initially spread from East Asia, countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea were the first countries to be impacted by COVID-19, leading to certain levels of economic recessions and posing threats to society. In China, 53.8% of the respondents reported a moderate or severe psychological impact of the pandemic (Wang et al, 2020). In Japan, 11.5% of adult respondents experienced serious psychological distress and the prevalence of depression was 17.9% (Yamamoto, 2020). In South Korea, 45% of the 400 residents expressed clinical levels of depression, anxiety, or stress (Lee, 2021). Hence, more efforts and concerns should be generated to support public mental health. As a regional historical unit, East Asian countries and regions share similar cultures and to varying degrees influenced by Confucianism. Therefore, both adults and children tend to hold high levels of academic and career expectations, resulting in overwhelming academic and job stress. Considering the segregation policy, students and employees had to be separated from schools and workplaces. While there are several side effects of online study and work, which would be detrimental to individuals residing in East Asia.

In addition to the infectious context, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought many complications to social life. Fear, anxiety, misinformation, and loneliness associated with isolation, as well as uncertainty about the days ahead, have already caused psychological and emotional changes in many people. Many social groups, such as cancer patients, the elderly, schoolchildren, and people with disabilities, were particularly vulnerable to the psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In light of current data, even the WHO suggests that the psychological context of the pandemic may have caused more psychological damage than World War II. Some researchers also infer the existence already of a post-pandemic stress syndrome, which is currently not an official medical diagnosis, but rather a subtype of PTSD that is being diagnosed. Also noted in the context of the pandemic is the breakdown of many social ties due to isolation, loneliness, the development of symptoms of depressive or anxiety disorders, and the transformation of social life. Thus, it seems reasonable to estimate the magnitude of phenomena of psychosocial importance, resulting from the impact of the epidemiological situation associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary issue to be considered within the framework of the topic is the identification of psychosocial factors affecting the quality of mental and social health of various social groups, which are determined by the epidemiological situation associated with COVID-19. In this view, the determining variables will be personal feelings of stress, fear, anxiety, depression, discouragement, alienation, and loneliness, and in a global sense the reference of these phenomena to the comfort and quality of social life, with particular emphasis on interpersonal relationships. COVID-19, as mentioned above, continues to be an important social issue, and, although the situation related to it has recently softened and media reports becoming less frequent. It is inferred that we will only now see the full impact of the problems associated with the mental health crisis and the breakdown of interpersonal relationships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The physical effects of COVID-19 are felt globally. However, one issue that has not been sufficiently addressed is the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, citizens worldwide are enduring widespread lockdowns; children are out of school; and millions have lost their jobs, which has caused anxiety, depression, insomnia, and distress. Mental Health Effects of COVID-19 provides a comprehensive analysis of mental health problems resulting from COVID-19, including depression, suicidal thoughts and attempts, trauma, and PTSD. The book includes chapters detailing the impact of COVID-19 on the family’s well-being and society dynamics. The book concludes with an explanation on how meditation and online treatment methods can be used to combat the effects on mental health. Discusses family dynamics, domestic violence, and aggression due to COVID-19 Details the psychological impact of COVID-19 on children and adolescents Includes key information on depression, anxiety, and suicide as a result of COVID-19

Part of a mini series of Focus books on COVID-19 in Malaysia, the chapters in this book addresses the psychosocial impact on the pandemic and ways in which people have learned to develop the ability to be more resilient despite the challenges of living and working during this public health crisis. Covering a range of topics including life under lockdown, working on the frontlines, and the rapid adaptation to online teaching, the contributors highlight the pervasiveness of the pandemic on Malaysian society, identified factors that potentially increase the psychosocial impact of the pandemic on different segments of the population and how Malaysians have found ways to cope throughout this period. This is an opportunity to witness how researchers from multiple disciplines can join forces during challenging times. There are a great many lessons to be learned from the successes and failures in responding to the pandemic and the measures that have been necessary to contain it. A fascinating read for scholars with an interest in crisis management in non-Western contexts, especially those with a particular interest in Malaysia, or Southeast Asia more generally.

This timely book draws on unique African experiences to explore the intersection between mental health and African communitarianism in the context of COVID-19, giving voice to the perspectives of vulnerable populations facing pre-existing challenges such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Advancing knowledge and contributing to the global debate about the effects of the pandemic on the psychological well-being of African people, chapters critique the role of media, information, misinformation, and disinformation during this period on individual- and community-based mental health. Using a holistic approach, the book highlights the need to prioritise the localising of mental health systems and clinical services to provide a better standard of care and comprehensive, context-specific mental health interventions that consider the heterogeneity within and between African regions. The book demonstrates through nuanced evidence and analysis that communitarian perspectives allow African societies to balance collective solidarity with individual well-being to benefit overall mental health. Ultimately drawing on communal values and localised knowledge to cultivate resilience to fight the psychosocial impacts of COVID-19 in Africa, the book will be of interest to scholars, postgraduate students and researchers exploring psychology, philosophy of mental health, and public health policy more broadly, as well as and cultural studies and the sociology of pandemics.

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed our lifestyle when, on 30 January 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus disease outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. Since then, many governments have introduced unprecedented containment measures, hoping to slow the spread of the virus. International research suggests that both the pandemic and the related protective measures, such as lockdown, curfews, and social distancing, are having a profound impact on the mental health of the population. Among the most commonly observed psychological effects, there are high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic symptoms, along with boredom and frustration. At the same time, the behavioral response of the population is of paramount importance to successfully contain the outbreak, creating a vicious circle in which the psychological distress impacts the willingness to comply with the protective measures, which, in turn, if prolonged, could exacerbate the population's distress. This book includes: i) original studies on the worldwide psychological and behavioral impact of COVID-19 on targeted individuals (e.g., parents, social workers, patients affected by physical and mental disorders); ii) studies exploring the effect of COVID-19 using advanced statistical and methodological techniques (e.g., machine learning technologies); iii) research on practical applications that could help identify persons at risk, mitigate the negative effects of this situation, and offer insights to policymakers to manage the pandemic are also highly welcomed.