Main Cause of Stress: 'Frustration from Not Being Able to Go Out Properly' 53.2%
7 out of 10 Citizens Experience Corona Blue
Experts Say "Corona Blue Is Highly Contagious, Psychological Quarantine Should Be Prioritized"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] "The stress is so severe that I am even losing my hair."
Office worker Kim (29) lamented that she is experiencing stress to the point of health problems due to the resurgence of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Kim said, "At the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, I believed there was hope. But now, even that belief has disappeared," adding, "In my area, more than 100 confirmed cases are reported daily." She continued, "Despite the severity, the company is not implementing remote work. The combination of work stress and COVID-19 is exhausting," and confessed, "I can't meet friends to share my difficulties, and since I refrain from going out, even small things cause unbearable frustration. I'm considering consulting a psychiatrist."
Recently, as COVID-19 has resurged and natural disasters such as the rainy season and heatwaves have occurred consecutively, the number of citizens complaining of so-called 'Corona Blue' is increasing. The main cause of their depression is found to be the strengthening of social distancing measures, which has made normal daily life impossible.
'Corona Blue' is a newly coined term combining 'COVID-19' and 'blue' (depression), referring to the depression or lethargy caused by the significant changes in daily life due to the spread of COVID-19. It is also called 'Corona Depression.'
Experts analyze that this phenomenon results from citizens learning helplessness amid the prolonged COVID-19 situation.
According to a survey, 7 out of 10 citizens have experienced Corona Blue.
Recently, AlbaCall, a part-time job app operated by Incruit, conducted a survey on 'Changes in Corona Blue Trends' targeting 805 adult men and women. Among respondents, 69.2% reported experiencing anxiety and depression due to COVID-19. This is a 14.5 percentage point increase compared to the April survey results (April 10-13), which was 54.7%.
The quarantine authorities have urged residents in the metropolitan area to comply with the "Level 2 Social Distancing National Action Guidelines" in accordance with the Level 2 social distancing measures. Photo by Yonhap News
Additionally, they feel frustrated with the ongoing social distancing due to COVID-19. According to a survey conducted on the 19th by Embrain Trend Monitor, a market research company, targeting 1,000 adults aged 19 to 59 about modern people's 'mental health' and 'Corona Blue,' more than half (53.2%) of respondents said, "I feel frustrated because I cannot go out properly these days."
Symptoms cited include "My nerves have become sensitive because life has been chaotic due to COVID-19" (38.1%) and "I feel lonely and desolate because I cannot meet many people" (31.9%).
Moreover, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 9th, from February to the 3rd of this month, the number of COVID-related depression counseling cases conducted at the National Trauma Center and Mental Health Welfare Centers totaled 374,221, surpassing last year's total depression counseling cases of 353,388.
Given this situation, concerns about Corona Blue are emerging not only domestically but also internationally. Karissa Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the WHO's Americas office, expressed concern at a virtual press conference on the 18th (local time), stating, "The COVID-19 pandemic is causing a mental health crisis on an unprecedented scale," and "It has become a 'mega-disaster' in all countries."
The Korean Society of Trauma Stress also recently released the results of the 'Second National Mental Health Survey on COVID-19,' warning that "depression and the risk group for depression are increasing, and the level of depression among citizens is very serious."
In response, the government and local governments are also implementing various support measures such as psychological quarantine. The government continuously operates psychological counseling hotlines so that citizens experiencing depression and anxiety can easily access them anytime, and provides related services such as the National Trauma Center's KakaoTalk chatbot service.
Since March, Seoul City has launched the 'COVID-19 Psychological Support Team' to reduce excessive fear and anxiety about COVID-19 and strengthen citizens' psychological quarantine, announcing the '7 Mind Vaccines' mainly online and beginning full-scale activities.
Also, the team is operated by experts including psychiatrist Kim Hyunsoo, director of the Seoul Suicide Prevention Center, emergency medicine and internal medicine professors, mental health specialists, and art therapists.
Ulsan City, concerned about mental health issues such as excessive anxiety and stress due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation, is providing continuous psychological support through the Ulsan Metropolitan Mental Health Welfare Center.
From February 10 to the 14th of this month, the center conducted a total of 93 COVID-19-related counseling sessions, including 82 for the general public, 7 for isolated individuals, 3 for confirmed patients, and 1 for family members of confirmed patients, and provided 32 text message services. Counseling mainly focused on alleviating anxiety about infection, stress from long-term isolation, restrictions on outings, and interpersonal relationships, as well as depression.
Experts advise focusing on psychological quarantine because Corona Blue is highly contagious.
Professor Kwak Geumju of Seoul National University's Department of Psychology said, "In the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, there was a mentality that it was nothing serious because the system was not yet established. At that time, people could endure it thinking a vaccine would come out soon," analyzing, "However, as COVID-19 continued and people faced situations they could not change by themselves, frustration grew, leading to depression. On top of that, natural disasters like the rainy season and heatwaves added more stress."
She added, "Now, with the resurgence of COVID-19, anxiety is increasing. To reduce this anxiety, it is necessary to avoid focusing too much on news and not to view the COVID-19 situation too pessimistically. Since personal time has increased, it is good to have hobbies, exercise, or self-development time."
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