The cause of Pandemia is increasing mental health problems in Kosovo

In addition to the health problems COVID-19 has brought to millions of people in the world, there is also a large part that has experienced mental health problems, says psychologist Dassamir Brxul in an interview for Radio Free Europe.

The stock shows that the most frequent symptoms are depression and anxiety.

According to him, the first thing to do is eliminate fear of pandemic.

He says that the less news on this virus makes mental health better.

Radio Free Europe: Mr. Birxul, many citizens these days have passed, and still some of them are spending their time at home because of the pandemic of COVID-19. In a psychological way, how has this situation affected people?

Dear Burxley: Pandemia has caused great uncertainty and fear in the population. As a result, the closure has been immediate and, of course, in the sense of psychological dynamics it produces a certain effect on both the human body and the daily activity.

As much as when such pandemic cases as we remember are not known in Kosovo, but also in the world and we have not had the confrontational mechanisms of such situations. So it had to be invented all over again, in the sense of confrontation. So I can say that people have become more apathy and anxious.

It may also have been somatical influences that come with psychological basis, and at certain times it may also have had moments of frequent acceptance since it was the cutting off of immediate social contacts and adapting to another situation, which has certainly influenced people to interrupt their vital plans and build a new dynamic and routine.

This new normal for over two months has already influenced people to also have certain moments, especially young people who have a slightly more open social life, and one to have a moment of apathy or eventually symptoms there of depression. As for other ages like family heads and others, the primary concern is the preservation of family health as well as the financial share. After two months, however, we have seen a population stability towards the pandemic a general restraint and a very good adaptation under new circumstances.

Radio Free Europe: The consequences of how serious they can be, and what layer of society might this situation have affected the most?

Dear Burxley: We have certain symptoms of excessive fear of depression and so on. There are certain categories that are more sensitive, more vulnerable in this regard. A sensitive category in this regard is that pregnant people in such cases are pregnant women except for fear and anxiety and certain mental - health symptoms, which are natural in the case of well - known pregnancy, where these elements are likely to be emphasized during pregnancy.

Children may also have problems, since their dynamics are so that they cannot interpret the reality of what is happening, that they cannot understand it despite hearing from the news, from parents, or certain words can find meaning in their world, and it is certainly a double attempt to work with children and to tell them that they cannot go out or buy something in stores or that should be preserved and so on.

Things that are not usually in the nature of a child, self - control, since you do not understand the process. So these are the worst categories, and then even the older ones who are very affected by the virus because of the problems, and then we're afraid of the other kind and possibly there's social isolation and other emotional elements of this situation.

Radio Free Europe: What should people do to avoid psychological problems?

Love Burxley: The first of the job is to reduce the fear of the virus, to the situation we are. To respect the rules given, which are based on science, and then to create a monotonous and positive update, it is recommended that they engage in activities that are physical that can be done either under house conditions or that we already have a setting of schedules, even under conditions that are in nature, but always by maintaining appropriate measures.

This is a very good recommendation because it moves and circulates energy, makes a man feel under the control of the body and of course the body-minded relationship is more adequate and more functional in this regard.

The idea is also to pursue hobbies, in this case when a person is closed or there is limited possibility of communication or pursuing other business-related interests, and so on, then he has to recover himself, and return to himself is creating that inner world through different hobbies.

Radio Free Europe: Do you see that there is proper commitment from citizens and institutions to mental health and is there proper support for psychologists?

Dear Burxley: Those of us who are in this field, I don't think... At Pristina University's Psychological Department, we've been trying to do one... to split the profession to another level, and that's generally being understood by society that has consideration for psychologists and their work because there are many positive things in this regard.

However, it means the budget that is set in place for psychologists is still low. There are certain moments when their work is not taken into consideration. Only when we have pandemics or earthquakes, when there are crises, when we go back to them, or when we have individual crises.

In general, institutions I think should give more importance to mental health, and especially to the psychologist's profession, even the legal framework that concerns this area, but also further staff training by closely cooperating with the Psychological Department at the University of Pristina.

They can do things that are very good, because it's shown that the population is already more open to this psychological expertise, they value it, and people ask for help, they're open to show their problems and work with psychologists by achieving results, then this is a good omen that society has turned to itself, people have the freedom to deal with their problems, and they have the freedom to say, to look for someone else to get help, they're directed to the professional.

Mental health and psychologist investment is an investment in health, prevention of problems, is an investment in conservation, and is investment in economies, education, business, organisation, culture and so on.