Pandemics and Infodemics: Looking After Your Mental Health in Times of Crisis - Avanti Chopra

The Coronavirus pandemic has instilled fear in the hearts of many worldwide. With major industries, businesses, educational institutes, and public services coming to a standstill for almost three months, the uncertainty that people are feeling as the world begins to slowly open up is only natural.

In Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ended the country’s state of emergency, acknowledging that the number of cases in the country could not be brought down to zero and that the people would simply have to adjust to what he called a “new normal”[1]. Presumably, this refers to the inability of the general population to engage in social recreational activities such as going to the theatre, shopping complexes, or to a theme park- or at least not without social distancing measures in place. The question of how to deal with such rapid change hence arises, with people wondering what exactly the new normal will be once the world starts opening up again.

It seems almost futile to ask such a question, for the answer is largely unclear to most of us. As countries begin establishing protocols and guidelines in preparation for the re-opening of businesses and public services, one can observe the similarities in most countries’ plans to lift the lockdown. In India, the ‘Unlock 1.0’ plan involves the systematic re-opening of religious places of worship, hospitality services, shopping malls, and public transport in the capital. Restrictions, of course, are also in place, and a night curfew still stands. In Italy, which is currently in phase 2 of their lockdown lift plan, Italians are now allowed to step outside for the first time in months. Protective masks, however, are mandatory in public, and social distancing measures as well as new standards of hygiene have been established.

The peoples’ sense of freedom in countries now beginning to establish re-open measures, however, seems to be clouded by the massive sense of loss they are experiencing as a population that has been through a pandemic of such gigantean impact. The effects of such an event will ultimately be adverse on the majority of the population, with symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, and in some cases, even survivor’s guilt making an appearance.

During the global lockdown period, mental health organizations across the world were already dealing with a high influx of calls and inquiries due to the pandemic.[2] History has shown that in times of disaster and crisis, the average media consumption of a population increases drastically, not just in order for the people to stay informed, but also out of boredom and as a response to the lack of face to face communication that many of us are experiencing in these times[3]. A lot of the information hence consumed, while available on a public domain, can be incorrect, and even harmful to consume. The spread of misinformation about the pandemic, as well as the labeling of COVID-19 to the likes of a “killer virus” only perpetuates the sense of danger people feel with regards to the disease. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has, rather aptly, dubbed this phenomenon an ‘infodemic’, which they characterize as ‘‘an overabundance of information—some accurate and some not—that makes it hard for people to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance when they need it.”[4] The ultimate result of an infodemic is the people imagining worst-case scenarios, which contributes to feelings of powerlessness, fear, and anxiety in an already difficult time.

The question of combatting the infodemic alongside the pandemic then arises- how do we ensure that we consume correct information at a moderated pace? Various social media sites such as Facebook[5], YouTube, Twitter, and even TikTok have introduced features to advise users to look at “trusted sources” of information, or to link them to either the WHO Coronavirus myth-busting page or the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) COVID-19 information page when a user uses search keywords relating to “coronavirus”. Google, too, is posting a special notice by the WHO when a user searches for information about the virus.[6] As for what we as individuals can do to minimize the impact of this infodemic on our mental health, the best way to do so is to look at only verified sources of information about the pandemic. Websites of organizations such as the WHO and the CDC are the most trusted, and will also be the most accurate providers of information. By ensuring that we are consuming information that is accurate, we take away feelings of powerlessness and hence prevent ourselves from imagining what we may call the worst-case scenario. According to the American Psychological Association, maintaining our social networks in times of upheaval can lend a sense of normalcy while providing an opportunity to share feelings and hence relieve stress. [7] Using technology to stay connected to the people we love, as well as to access things we enjoy may also help maintain a sense of calm. Along with this, it is important to sometimes also step back from social media and the news, breathe, and examine the situation from an individual point of view. Giving our minds a break will not only allow us to better process information the next time we need to verify current world happenings but will also allow our mind and body some much-needed rest.

As the world begins to re-open after a major crisis, it is very important for us to understand that things may never truly go back to “normal”. The best we can do is sit back, take a deep breath, and process information in an educated manner. By minimizing our contribution to hysteria, and by remaining calm in the face of disaster, we allow for a smoother transition of the world into a setting as close to normality as possible.

[1] BMJ 2020; 369 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2100 (Published 26 May 2020)

[2] Kirton, D. Chinese public dial in for support as coronavirus takes mental toll. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china- health-mental/chinese-public-dial-in-for-support-as-corona virus-takes-mental-toll-idUSKBN2070H2 (accessed June 10, 2020)

[3] Wiederhold, B.K. Social Media Use During Social Distancing. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/cyber.2020.29181.bkw (accessed June 10, 2020)

[4] World Health Organization. Novel coronavirus (2019- nCov): situation report—13. https://www.who.int/docs/ default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200202-sitrep- 13-ncov-v3.pdf (accessed June 10, 2020).

[5] Ghaffary S, Heilweil R. Facebook doubles down on re- moving coronavirus conspiracy theories. https://www.vox .com/recode/2020/1/31/21115589/coronavirus-wuhan-china- myths-hoaxes-facebook-social-media-tiktok-twitter-wechat (accessed June 10, 2020).

[6] Toth M. Facebook, Google and Twitter crack down on fake coronavirus ‘‘cures’’ and other misinformation. https://www .cnn.com/2020/01/31/tech/facebook-twitter-google-corona virus-misinformation/index.html (accessed June 10, 2020)

[7] American Psychological Association. Five ways to view coverage of the coronavirus. https://www.apa.org/help center/pandemics (accessed June 10, 2020).