Pakistan (7025 confirmed cases) contracted coronavirus (COVID-19 – Coronavirus Disease 2019) through the arrival of overseas Pakistani (students, zaireen, visitors and pilgrims) from other geographical locations to Pakistan. Pakistan’s (fifth most populous country) basic family unit is extended-consanguine family system with multiple generations living together and thus in collectivistic culture such as this practicing social distancing poses a challenge on mental health of all family members. Community-dwellers depend on social support through family interaction and cultural activities to keep feelings of loneliness, negative emotions and psychological distress at bay. People could experience fear of death, fear of getting oneself or their family infected, anxiety, anger, depressive symptoms.
Many factors are contributing in the affected mental health, psychosocial functioning, wellbeing, psychological and emotional welfare including uncertainty of this novel illness, unpredictability of the new risk including the self-isolation, social-distancing, and quarantine) impaired social functioning, interpersonal issues, perpetuating emotional and behavioral disorders, precipitating psychological problems, predisposing mental health issues, and tendency of easily getting affected from traumatic events. Healthcare conditions in Pakistan are exacerbating on daily basis and thus controlling the disease would require holistic comprehensive management on both physical and mental healthcare situation (Mukhtar, 2020). COVID-19 pandemic outbreak could have negative impact on psychological and mental health of people, for instance psychological distress, mental health issues, grief, shame, helplessness, hopelessness, posttraumatic symptoms, substance abuse, panic attacks, stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, ambivalence, fear, anger, stigma and worry towards socioeconomic statu.
Mental health refers to the state of wellbeing in which individuals realizes their own ability to cope with normal life stressors and productively work to contribute in their own community (WHO, 2005). Mental health constitute a six element psychological perspective which includes a) self-acceptance, b) meaning in life, c) autonomy, d) healthy relations with others, e) environmental mastery, and f) personal growth.
Interpersonal issues including domestic violence, abuse, trauma, negative emotions, unhealthy relations and family environment, financial instability, poverty, poor health and other factors in addition to coronavirus has exacerbated the wellbeing of all individuals making them question their self-acceptance, meaning in life, and relationships with others. Restricted movement resulting from lockdown could make people question their autonomy and environmental mastery. And all in all challenges the personal growth and compromising mental health of general public