People in a very good mental state during the pandemic. Really?!

Let’s talk about fitness! To work efficiently and effectively from home we need to be fit. Therefore, this topic is of high relevance for each employee and should not be neglected by employers. A large topic which will cover the next blog posts – each of them deals with a specific aspect of fitness. The most common association when we think of fitness is with athletic activities and physical performance. However, fitness also includes mental wellbeing. This posts focus lies on the aspects of mental health and fitness. The physical fitness and some exercises that boost energy in your workday will be featured in the upcoming articles.

“Mental health is a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community” (World Health Organization, 2018).

Riots and demonstrations are no longer a rarity since the beginning of the Corona pandemic. Temporarily they dominate the front pages, like last weekend’s situation in St. Gallen (Schmid, 2021). But also abroad new measures in relation to the pandemic and the new restrictions lead to despair and sometimes degenerate into riots and protests against the government (Kirchner, Münch, & Gurk, 2021). But why does that happen?

One group that can be identified are people who do not believe that Corona exists or feel deprived of their freedom by the measures, for example the compulsory wearing of masks (Norddeutscher Rundfunk, 2020). Another group, however, has been suffering from a lot of stress, uncertainty and fear since the beginning of the Corona pandemic. These feelings dominate everyday life, and one has to be able to deal with them. A challenging situation, in which it is also advised not to meet friends who could reduce fears or frustrations. Insecurity and fear must not be underestimated, as it confronts ourselves with our personal vulnerability. The Federal Office of Public Health in Switzerland identifies unemployment, financial concerns, isolation or conflicts within the family as the main stress factors. In addition, proven strategies to reduce stress, such as hobbies or socialising, were not always possible to carry out (Bundesamt für Gesundheit BAG, 2020). These elements, combined with the lengthy timeline of the continuing pandemic and no foreseeable situational change in the near future, can lead to outbreaks as described in the beginning of this post.

Lots of people are in a difficult state in Switzerland. However, if we look at other countries, we can consider ourselves to be in a relatively stable situation. The counselling services for psychological problems are not used to full capacity and hospitals were able to manage the crucial periods (Bundesamt für Gesundheit BAG, 2020). A study by a Swiss insurance group even shows that half of the people felt in a good to very good mental state during the pandemic. As the graph indicates, approximately 15 percent reported to be unwell during the Corona situation. The value has doubled, compared to 6% before the pandemic, but in comparison to other countries it represents the lowest value (AXA Versicherungen AG, 2020).

The Federal Office of Public Health in Switzerland identified the following groups a as most affected (No empirical data are available at present for other potential risk groups):

• People over 65 who are socially isolated or have pre-existing conditions suffered more from loneliness or negative feelings.
• Young people were distressed by limited contact with their peers.
• Mid-aged persons were exposed to multiple stresses due to work and homeschooling. This is especially true for single parents and parents of children under 12. (Bundesamt für Gesundheit BAG, 2020)

This general deterioration of mental health has a great impact on many lives and coping with this is enormously important. If you suffer from mental health problems and have not yet sought help, you will find many useful links on this website. The pandemic has improved the awareness and acceptance of mental illness and it is no longer considered as a taboo to be affected. People are more conscious about their own mental health and put more value to it.

Even though the current situation is difficult and brings many challenges, the tide will turn again for the better. The Axa study (2020) shows that the attitude towards the future is very positive. So do not forget to look at the good things in your everyday life – it will have a positive impact on you and also on the people around you. Let’s make the best of the situation!

If you are interested in more information, do not miss Biancas article on: “How to create boundaries between private and professional life while working from home – Interview with a psychologist“!

Next time we will move on to the next fitness aspect: physical fitness. See you then!

Bibliography

AXA Versicherungen AG. (2020, Oktober). Retrieved from Mentale Gesundheit und Corona: Auswirkungen der Corona-Krise auf unsere mentale Gesundheit: https://www.axa.ch/de/privatkunden/blog/gesundheit/gesundheitsvorsorge/mentale-gesundheit-studie.html

Bundesamt für Gesundheit BAG. (2020, November 20). Einfluss von Covid-19 auf die psychische Gesundheit. Retrieved from https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/de/home/das-bag/aktuell/news/news-20-11-2020.html

Kirchner, T., Münch, P., & Gurk, C. (2021, January 25). Corona-Gegner trinken Kaffee und schlagen dann zu. Retrieved from Bernerzeitung: https://www.bernerzeitung.ch/corona-gegner-trinken-kaffee-und-schlagen-dann-zu-532572498456

Norddeutscher Rundfunk. (2020, November 18). extra3. Corona-Leugner, Querdenker, Verschwörungstheorien. Retrieved from https://www.ndr.de/fernsehen/sendungen/extra_3/Corona-Leugner-Querdenker-Verschwoerungstheorien,extra18716.html

Schmid, S. (2021, April 10). https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/jugendkrawalle-st-gallen-winterthur-und-zuerich-bereiten-sich-vor-ld.1611057?reduced=true. Retrieved from Neue Zürcher Zeitung: https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/jugendkrawalle-st-gallen-winterthur-und-zuerich-bereiten-sich-vor-ld.1611057?reduced=true

World Health Organization. (2018, March 30). Mental health: strengthening our response. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response