Around the globe, experts drew attention to the outcomes after the first wave of the pandemic due to the spread of COVID-19. According to researchers, more than a third of those who have experienced the infection face, to one degree or another, negative consequences for their mental health. The range of disorders is wide: from apathy to prolonged depression, panic attacks, and memory troubles. Doctors also discovered addiction: the more severe the disease was, the more serious the psychological repercussions were. The problem of suicidal tendencies has increased due to COVID-19, and the potential solution lies in cognitive psychotherapy.
Various coronavirus restrictions, lockdowns, remote work, and the constant presence of a person at home have provoked negative psychological effects. Already in the first wave of the pandemic in 2020, psychiatrists drew attention to the change in the mental health of the population (Banerjee et al. 570). In addition, people have anxious expectations related to the fear of getting sick in severe form, worry for loved ones, and the possibility of losing a job. There seems to be a growth of suicidal and depressive moods among quite healthy citizens in different countries. Moreover, data on more frequent cases of family violence and divorce began to appear. Accordingly, when a person gets sick, their anxious expectations increase (Gunnell 450). The individual starts to fearfully monitor their condition, symptoms, temperature, and breathing.
The problem may be solved by the widespread use of cognitive psychotherapy among those who have had coronavirus. Applying modern and classical methods of psychotherapeutic influence, the doctor teaches the patient to cope with emotions, fears, and anxieties. The patient learns to realize that the essence of the problem is not in the situation itself but in the person’s attitude to it. Meetings with a psychotherapist should be held no more than twice a week. During treatment, the patient must do homework and be sincere and honest with the healthcare specialist. The duration of the course of psychotherapy is determined by the attending practitioner.
To conclude, cognitive psychotherapy can serve as a solution to the problem of suicidal tendencies in those who have experienced COVID-19. The pandemic has negatively affected numerous people around the world, causing mental health issues in many individuals. As a result, it appears that some persons cannot handle pressures and are willing to commit suicide. Therefore, cognitive psychotherapy should be utilized to help people overcome troubles.
Works Cited
Banerjee, Debanjan, Jagannatha Rao Kosagisharaf, and Sathyanarayana Rao. “‘The Dual Pandemic’ of Suicide and COVID-19: A Biopsychosocial Narrative of Risks and Prevention.” Psychiatry Research, vol. 295, 2021, pp. 113-577.
Gunnell, David. “Suicide Risk and Prevention During the COVID-19 pandemic.” The Lancet Psychiatry, vol. 7, no. 6, 2020, pp. 468-471.