'CABIN FEVER' - SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF LOCKDOWNS
As the novel coronavirus continues to rapidly spread around the world, some countries are putting their citizens on lockdown.
- South Africa will go into a 21-day lockdown on March 26.
- New Zealand enacted a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all individuals entering the country.
- Saudi Arabia locked down its capital and two holy cities on Wednesday.
- India went into full coronavirus lockdown for 21 days on Tuesday.
- The UK went into full coronavirus lockdown on Monday evening.
Colombia began a nationwide quarantine on Tuesday, with people over the age of 70 told to remain indoors until May.
Jordan has been under a strict indefinite lockdown since Saturday morning. People caught leaving their homes are subject to up to a year in prison.
Argentina went into a "preventative and compulsory" lockdown on March 21.
What is 'CABIN FEVER'?
As the number of people infected with the novel coronavirus continues to augment the prospect of full lockdowns looms. Thus, the question rises among millions: 'What is isolation really like?'.
You're stuck at home. Same faces every day, same tedious activities, same lackluster routines, which now mainly consist of daily chores. You would have thought that taking a break from work or from school was exactly what you needed. But you now realize that you have been wrong all along.
While your abilities to engage in social activities are under restriction, initial discomfort may quickly result in 'cabin fever'. It is not a medical condition, nor is it a psychological disorder. It is rather a state of mind.
Restricted movement engenders a wide range of negative emotions and distress. Irritability, lack of patience, restlessness are common effects of the 'cabin fever'. You no longer feel comfortable in the presence of your family members or your beloved pets. You start living under the impression that you are imprisoned, that the abhorrent walls of your house are the very things that hamper you from going outside, from going for a walk, for instance. Thus, home starts to no longer feel like home.
Eventually, you start feeling the dire need to take a break from 'the break'. But you can't! You can't because you have a moral obligation to protect yourself and the ones around you. You can't because when the possible consequences of disregarding the social distancing guidelines are balanced against the benefits of abiding by the rules you understand that you would be taking too much of a risk by going outside.
Therefore, YOU DON'T!
However, what happens when the pressure becomes unbearable?
You start making alterations to your lifestyle! There is plenty of time to reflect on yourself. So why not make use of it? Take up a new hobby, start reading a new book, tackle a home improvement project! There is a plethora of options, hence you have the power to mitigate the depressing atmosphere and become productive during isolation!