Wearing the mask, hand sanitization and physical distancing are all behaviours and behaviour is part of mental health. While the importance of mental health and well being was not promoted, people were exposed to factors detrimental to their mental health. Media too has a responsibility of sending out messages of positive mental health instead of sending ‘news alerts’ with death tolls and the number of infected cases. The trauma of the pandemic and its mental health impact will be enormous and could last for years to come. For this, one need not necessarily be a mental health expert nor does one need to have solutions to all problems.

Source: The Nation September 12, 2021 00:56 UTC