Pandemics and epidemics are a particular type of major incident that means the threat is likely to be ongoing for a significant period of time and brings unique challenges.
- It disrupts health and communities more than any other major disaster.
- It impacts on the health of staff too and therefore limits capacity to manage the
- scale of an outbreak.
- The scale of the demand on healthcare may mean that people do not get the usual standard of care and treatment, or staff have to make difficult decisions about who gets what treatment.
- People may not be able to offer comfort to others as they die because of social distancing.
- Infection control may mean that funerals are small or cannot take place in person.
- The scale of the deaths means that it will affect everyone and therefore limit the capacity to offer support when grieving oneself.
- There is little certainty and the threat is going to continue for some time.
- Sustained threats are often more challenging as it allows for threat based responses to become chronically embedded as the new ‘normal’.
- The media is full of scary stories and it is hard to escape from reminders. This is a form of ‘mental contagion’.
- People’s usual networks of alliances and social buffers in times of stress may be broken by volume of work, redeployment or sickness.
People who have been unwell with the disease and got better, particularly those who have had to be in hospital for treatment, may have a range of reactions which are shown below.
- I feel on top of the world.
- I’ve lost everything.
- Everyone I care about might not survive.
- I can’t get it out of my mind.
- I feel invincible.
- It’s my own fault.
- I must be weak to end up in hospital.
- I am so relieved.
- I feel guilty others didn’t survive.
- Someone is to blame.
- I have scary bodily sensations, I don’t know what they are.
These reactions may change over time. There is no right or wrong way to react. However each reaction may impact on our ability to cope.
The information below shows some of the different emotional responses and the related positive behaviours and behaviours to watch out for.
Emotion: Omnipotence
Positive Behaviour
- Confidence.
Behaviour to watch out for
- Taking risks.
Emotion: Elation
Positive Behaviour
- Doing lots of new things.
- Making the most of life.
- Counting your blessings.
Behaviour to watch out for
- Doing too much and burning out.
Emotion: Guilt at surviving
Positive Behaviour
- Helping others.
- Not looking after your own needs.
Behaviour to watch out for
- Taking risks.
Emotion: Self blame for becoming unwell
Positive Behaviour
- Being realistic and kind on yourself.
- Forgiveness.
- Reassessing your lifestyle.
Behaviour to watch out for
- Internal criticism or self punishment.
- OCD.
Emotion: Anger at others
Positive Behaviour
- Assertiveness.
- Doing things to make things better for other people.
- Putting yourself in others shoes.
Behaviour to watch out for
- Ideas of harming others.
- Threats.
- Conspiracy theories.
- Being controlling.
Emotion: Feeling Vulnerable
Positive Behaviour
- Looking after yourself.
- Asking for help when needed.
Behaviour to watch out for
- Hiding away.
- Loss of confidence.
Emotion: Relieved
Positive Behaviour
- Setting in to a routine.
Behaviour to watch out for
- Loss of routine.
- Chaotic.
Emotion: Fear for others
Positive Behaviour
- Looking out for others.
- Meditations.
Behaviour to watch out for
- Taking risks.
Emotion: Intrusive memories
Positive Behaviour
- Diaries.
- Grounding in the moment.
Behaviour to watch out for
- Avoiding triggers.
- Watching too much news.
Emotion: A sense of loss
Positive Behaviour
- A sense of loss.
- Find ways of mourning.
- Focus on what you can do.
- Ask for help to rebuild.
Behaviour to watch out for
- Avoiding feelings of loss.
- Pretence of not experiencing a sense of loss.
Emotion: Unusual bodily sensations
Positive Behaviour
- Recognise there may be things that you do not remember about being unwell. These are likely body memories. Accept them and be kind to your body in ways that helps. Give your body and mind time to recover.
Behaviour to watch out for
- Fear that you are becoming unwell even though doctors have checked you out as being in recovery leading to health anxiety.
It’s important to consider your mental wellbeing during a pandemic. This can be particularly challenging because there may be restrictions in place that prevent people from using their usual coping strategies.
Do what usually helps
It may be stating the obvious but if you have tried and tested ways of managing your mental health now is the time to put them to good use. Whether that’s using distraction, relaxation, mindfulness, grounding, or stress management skills these will all be of benefit. You are going to have the best idea about what works well for you.
If you are struggling to do what usually helps, maybe because you are currently physically or mentally unwell, then it’s important to think about other ways to manage your mental health. There are lots of different ideas and strategies available in the other courses on this site.
Keep connected
One of the most important ways of managing mental health issues is to have good connections and to make use of them. There may be times when you cannot meet with people face to face but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep connected with them. Speaking on the phone, face time, texting, emailing, and writing a letter are good ways to keep connected.
Brace yourself for change
Being prepared with the knowledge that things are going to change in your daily life is going to help when it does happen. Already there are many changes that have taken place within society to try and prevent the spread and impact of the disease. There may be more change to come in the future as well. Maybe there will be some things that you can help others with to give them hope.
Coping when you are not well
It can be challenging to keep up with daily living when you are not physically fit. If you are struggling to manage, make sure to maintain your basic needs first and foremost; eating, staying hydrated, keeping warm and dry and sleeping as much as your body wants. If you can, allow other people to help you.
Some things to think about
Let yourself be aware of how you are feeling reading this information.
- Can you think of three strategies you use to manage your mental health. Would they be useful responses to turn to when dealing with a major incident?
- What other strategies might be helpful to think about?