Of course, major events like this have the tendency to shake up the ground we’re standing on and change some things irreversibly. But with not all of it being obvious at first glance, one Redditor decided to dig a little deeper and ask a question about what the pandemic ruined a lot more than we realized. Scroll down to read what people online answered!
More info: Reddit
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When the Coronavirus pandemic became serious, most countries initiated nationwide lockdowns, which left the vast majority of the world’s population isolated in their homes. At first, it seemed as if our lives were put on pause.
But in reality, there is no such thing as pausing life. The time was still moving forward, and the sudden changes we had to adapt to left a massive mark on our world and on us.
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This pandemic caused us two kinds of damage: visible and invisible.
The visible type was a lot more obvious, as it was not only in front of our eyes but also a lot more directly felt. People losing their lives or receiving lifelong health complications, businesses closing, and workers losing jobs and facing poverty were just some of the most notable problems.
However, there were also the less visible issues that may have eluded our attention and crept up from behind while being dismissed as not serious. Those come from the psychological side of living through such an event.
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In 2020, trying to bring attention to these equally relevant issues, Dr. Elke Van Hoof of the World Economic Forum wrote about the French approach to the aftermath of various disasters, in which they would set up two camps. One where victims would receive help with any physical injuries they might have, and in another one, they would be treated on a psychological level, as well as be evaluated for the need for further post-traumatic treatment.
If enforced correctly, this type of strategy could’ve prevented, or at least weakened, the negative mental health effects that Covid left for most of us. It could’ve also helped the world economy recover faster and more effectively.
But alas, probably no one could’ve foreseen just how big this pandemic would become, and thus, we were caught underprepared. While the world was doing its best to build a sufficient number of ‘tents’ for the physically ill, mental health was, more often than not, neglected.
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Most of those mental health problems came from people being isolated for a prolonged amount of time. Being alone, of course, can actually be quite beneficial, and, in the years since Covid hit, more and more of us have been able to do tasks from home that we previously couldn’t, giving us the opportunity to leave less often.
However, as Kendra Cherry of Very Well Mind shared, people are social creatures, and remaining alone for extended periods can eventually harm our mental and even physical well-being.
According to the article, isolation has often been linked to a higher risk of various medical conditions, like heart and immune system issues, stress, depression, anxiety, and others. People who experience these problems are more likely to abuse alcohol and various substances while having lower life satisfaction.
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In the end, Coronavirus might have ruined a lot of things, but the past is something that none of us can change. And yet, looking back at it may not be pointless after all because as long as we learn from the situations and our mistakes made along the way, we will most likely be better prepared if we ever have to deal with something like this again.
What did you think about this story? Do you have anything else you’d like to add to this list? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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