Health experts strongly recommend using encouraging experiences of covid-19 survivors to help recover exisitng infected persons, especially overcoming mental stress.
They said that significant stress, notably associated with the uncertainty regarding possible recovery, causes infected persons to suffer distress and anxiety which in most cases leads to fear and nervous breakdown.
The experts said that most of the infected persons in panic take it as a granted that covid-19 infection means ultimate death which is actually not the case as thousands of people are recovering, majority of who had strong mental support.
Such agonizing mental stress touches all categories of infected people irrespective of their age, socioeconomic status, gender and even pre-existing physical or mental health problems.
To maintain good mental health and also overcome depression during infection, it is important to adhere to a few rules, like avoiding loneliness and staying inactive. Watching TV for entertainment, constantly speaking to family members and friends and taking advice of professional counselors are also suggested by the health experts.
It is widely known that covid-19 survivors’ mental strength and confidence are now being used in encouraging newly infected coronavirus patients to fight and recover from the infection.
Reports show that survivor’s family members or next to kin or even friends play a key role in most of the cases in the recovery process.
They said that corona cases need treatment as well as recovery motivation so that they can stay mentally strong and build self-confidence. In such situation it is easier for them to fight against the virus.
Public health expert Professor Ahmed Hussain echoed similar voices to Bangladesh Post, adding, “When someone gets infected, they gradually start losing their mental strength due to the intensity of illness. However, it’s completely a misconception among us that infected patients will ‘die’.”
Professor Hussain said, “In most of the cases, I have found in recovered patients that they were mentally strong by inspiration of previously recovered persons.”
“I suggest my patients, especially young and adults, to share their recovery experiences over social media, where others can find the light of hope,” Professor Hussain also mentioned.
Covid-19 survivor Anjuman Ara told Bangladesh Post over the phone that, “I was infected first in my family but after my recovery my elder son Alvi also got infected. Fortunately, as a caregiver and mother my experiences of recovery encouraged him to recover soon as well.”
Her son Alvi Ahmed said, “Usually I don’t fall sick during flu season but this time getting infected with corona was a strange suffering. My mother inspired me to stay strong in a difficult time as she had recovered earlier. My mother always motivated me to stay mentally strong which actually boosted my mental strength instead of thinking negative.”
Medicine specialist Aprajit Ghosh, serving at a private hospital, said, “Most of the patients lose confidence upon them after being infected. In many cases, they believed that they would die when they test positive. Family members’ support helps which is crucial in corona recovery.”
She said, “I advise my patients not to get panicked with corona test positive result. The first step in treatment in coronavirus is to stay energized. I have repeatedly said to them that mental health is the most important thing right now.”
On Sunday, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) revealed that 1,766 patients have made full recovery from Covid-19, raising the number of recoveries to 1,48,370. Globally more than 11.9 million patients have recovered, according to the latest tally from Johns Hopkins University.