How new wave of COVID-19 infections has affected mental health among Thais

[webfact]

How new wave of COVID-19 infections has affected mental health among Thais 

 

 

The chief of Thailand's mental health department has said that the stress levels of Thai people are back up to the same level as they were during the first worrying days of the pandemic back in March last year.

 

Dr Phanphimon Wipulakorn was speaking yesterday at the Ministry of Public Health. She has called on people to share their worries with each other to reduce stress. 

 

She said that in March 2020 stress levels were at Level 4 or even higher. 

 

As the pandemic eased, people's fear abated and stress levels went down accordingly so that by nearer the end of the year the stress levels were only at Level 1 or 2. 

 

But in 2021 all that has changed. 

 

The second wave of the pandemic has thrust stress levels back up to Level 4. 

 

The sense of alarm among the Thai population was particularly high in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in early December. By the end of the month this had shifted to Samut Sakhon (the epicenter of a major outbreak). 

 

This is expressing itself in fear of contracting Covid-19 with worries about going out and great concern about personal protection measures, she said.

 

She called on the public to try and replace fear with action. Sharing your concerns with someone was a good start and would help people to calm down.

 

She called on action to protect both mind and body this being the best "Vaccine Jai".

 

Jai means heart but in this sense was used as a term for the centre of mental well-being, notes Thaivisa.

 

her advice might be seen in terms of the English expression "a problem shared is a problem halved". 

 

Source: Daily News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-01-08

 

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[RotBenz8888]

Risk of catching covid while queuing for travel permit, threat of jailsentence if not using tracking app, vaccin will be offered 2022 etc. 

[Jessi]

34 minutes ago, webfact said:

How new wave of COVID-19 infections has affected mental health among Thais 

You can see this with the politicians....???? 

[Peterw42]

3 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Risk of catching covid while queuing for travel permit, threat of jailsentence if not using tracking app, vaccin will be offered 2022 etc. 

I see what you did there. Introduce a fear of non-existent jail sentence.

That should help things

[Pesche]

Level 4 or even higher...

 

It is not the fear to get infected that "stresses" the human fellow!

 

It is the desperation to experience and being part of this total disaster!

The desperation of waking up in the morning with an empty stomach!

Desperation to search for some coins in the hole household! Coins to buy some food for the crying, hungry children!

Desperation to open the little shop or street kitchen and to see that no one is coming to buy even the cheapest noodle soup!

Desperation to not being able to pay the rent, the electricity bill...

Desperation to go to bed after a "nightmare day" with still, an empty stomach!

Desperation to see that the government does not impose a Lockdown so it avoids to give a little support...

Desperation to lose EVERYTHING!

 

Dr Phanphimon "candidly" reports about "stress-levels" and totally disregards to mention MENTAL DEPRESSION, FRUSTRATION and... How suicides and domestic violence are dramatically on the rise!

"She called on the public to try and replace fear with action. Sharing your concerns with someone was a good start and would help people to calm down."

 

If she really thinks that sharing worries with friends who are in the SAME desperation will alleviate the pain and the "stress" then - Sorry!

She has NO HEART at all and is only a puppet in front of the camera...

Yes, because she doesn't know what total desperation, nervous breakdown and depression is!

She has no clue what the Thais are going through since months!

 

[Geoffggi]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Dr Phanphimon Wipulakorn was speaking yesterday at the Ministry of Public Health. She has called on people to share their worries with each other to reduce stress. 

surely this could also raise the stress levels in some ..................!!!!

[Keesters]

Stress affects immune system:

 

But short-term stress — the fight-or-flight response, a mobilization of bodily resources lasting minutes or hours in response to immediate threats — stimulates immune activity, said lead author Firdaus Dhabhar, PhD, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and a member of the Stanford Institute for ...

 

“Stress and anxiety have a tremendous impact on our immune system,” said David Tolin, PhD, director of the Anxiety Disorders Center at Hartford Hospital's Institute of Living. “We know excess levels of stress produce hormonal changes that lower the body's resistance to colds and other infections.”

 

It's the amount of stress that matters and it could be good or bad for you. 

[Caldera]

Shouldn't they use the term "alert" instead of "stressed"? To give it a positive spin? ????

 

[TKDfella]

"She called on the public to try and replace fear with action. Sharing your concerns with someone was a good start and would help people to calm down."

Yeah, okay. How about Dr Phanphimon Wipulakorn opening up a clinic and attending those who she suggests should, share their concerns. Action and sharing eh? I doubt she was last long before she became stressed.

[Yorkshire Tea]

[spiekerjozef]

Where can I do this stress test?

[unblocktheplanet]

8 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Risk of catching covid while queuing for travel permit, threat of jailsentence if not using tracking app, vaccin will be offered 2022 etc. 

Thanks! I feel better already!

[NoshowJones]

On 1/8/2021 at 10:19 AM, Jessi said:

You can see this with the politicians....???? 

You mean the unelected "PM" and his soldiers?? These people are only playing at being politicians, they even tell more lies

than real politicians.

, if that's possible.

[transam]

Really, it's been here waaay longer than was thought then....????

[Natai Beach]

Good advice from the Doctor. 
The feelings of depression are not because of a medical condition that can often be medicated. 

But because of a real situation that many are in because of the virus situation. Knowing that others around you are in the same boat and sharing the experience would be beneficial to many.

 

I know many Thais whose businesses have gone to nothing here because of covid and also a few back in Australia.

From my small sample it appears the Thais are coping mentally a bit better accepting that it is what it is than the Australians who want to blame somebody.
 

With the vaccines coming through now there is light at the end of the tunnel and we can all be happy again.

[csmith]

[BangkokReady]

4 hours ago, csmith said:

Sorry, who are these "grandparents" that are 120 years old?

[daveAustin]

Thais have only had a sliver of this (if you believe the figures); sincerely hope they have the mental fortitude to deal with it if and when it hits proper.