Westlake Word

As the country experiences another rise in cases and prepares for a potential shut down or lockdown again, many citizens start to question what impacts such an extensive lockdown could have on the population in both the short and long term. 

 

Throughout the first lockdown, it was questioned whether it was beneficial for the mental health of an individual, or if remaining in isolation for an extended period of time is more of a detriment to one's health. Carol Graham, author of “The Human Costs of the Pandemic: Is It Time to Prioritize Well-Being?”, reports that  “mental health and loneliness appear to have worsened, with these same minorities—and young adults and people with low incomes—disproportionately at risk.” 

 

Due to the extended isolation, mental health has been a continuous battle for many throughout the lockdown. Every person has experienced differing results, some have experienced growth, others have reached extreme loneliness.  

 

Moreover, from the perspective of an anonymous student, “Mentally, all day and all night I would just sit in bed wondering, when will this be over and some sort of life would begin again. I got lost in my thoughts too often and it drove me crazy.”As seen from the perspective of a high school student, life needs to continue so that change can happen in a person's life, rather than being surrounded by the same four walls everyday for months. 

 

To add on, the lockdown has helped many people find themselves spiritually while in a time of crisis. 

 

“There is time for meditation, reflection, and quality communications via phone and Facetime with loved ones,”  according to Ronald Riggio of Psychology Today. 

 

Due to the time left to reflection, people have connected and formed a deeper bond with one another during a time of crisis. 

 

Currently, a lockdown is still up in the air and up for discussion, however, what is known is that the only way we can get through this is by remaining united as a society, while being socially distant at home. 

 

Works Cited

 

Graham, Carol. “The Human Costs of the Pandemic: Is It Time to Prioritize

     Well-Being?” Brookings, 17 Nov. 2020, www.brookings.edu/research/

     the-human-costs-of-the-pandemic-is-it-time-to-prioritize-well-being/.

     Accessed 30 Nov. 2020. 

 

Interview. 29 Nov. 2020. 

 

Riggio, Ronald E. "Does Shelter-in-place Have a Silver Lining?" Psychology

     Today, 9 May 2020, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/

     cutting-edge-leadership/202005/15-positive-things-associated-the-lockdown.

     Accessed 30 Nov. 2020.