How Filipinos are dealing with anxiety and stress amid quarantine and COVID-19

Aside from the fear of getting infected with COVID-19, people are also dealing with the very many lifestyle changes brought about by measures and protocols to contain the spread of the virus. 

According to World Health Organization (WHO) mental health expert Aiysha Malik, they are "seeing an increase in the anxiety that people are experiencing."

The first episode of GMA Digilab video series "Mental" looked into how three Filipinos managed quarantine. There was Abigail Flores, a senior student in Iloilo, who said she never imagined something like that would happen in their city.

While she wasn't surprised with the lockdown measures, Abigail admitted to feeling afraid. "Nag-start 'yong takot ng mga tao na we might already be infected… without us knowing," she said.

Meanwhile, Ken Adrianne Segun is a physical therapist in a hospital in Pasig and in a pediatric Center in Binangonan admitted to his struggles in mobility.

"May apprehension, may worry, uncertain ka sa mangyayari. ‘Yung worry mo, nagsimula sa sarili mo lang, naging concern mo na ‘yung mga patients mo," he shared.

"Habang tumatagal yung quarantine nare-realize mo na, you can't really express what you feel," he shared.

And then there's Winnie Mea Marquez, a customer representative in a BPO company, who shared how she and her mom felt panic and fear during the start of the pandemic.

"Initially talaga nakaka-panic at nakakakaba. We're all worried especially kami ng mom ko kasi yung father ko was supposed to go back to the Philippines kasi he is an OFW sa Saudi," she shared.

Aside from the general worry, Winnie said they also have anxiety over what will happen if they start running out of food due to the lockdown.

"'Yung constant thinking kung ano yung gagawin namin kapag wala na kaming pagkain, kapag na-lockdown na kami, pag may positive and all that."

A survey was conducted by Ipsos Group S.A.  in March on the psychological effects of self-isolation to 13,785 adults in 15 countries.

Out of that number, 55% feels "concerned for the vulnerable/weak," 43% are "impatient to get back to normal life" and 34% are anxious about their health.

Meanwhile, 31% felt "happy to spend time with family," 22% were inspired by how people are adapting, 15% felt "lonely" and 12% were "angry with restrictions on their freedom."

What the experts say

WHO Aiysha said although the situation is different, managing stress should be the same.

"Many of you might not have experienced a situation like COVID-19 before but that is okay. The situation may be different but the strategies in managing stress are the same," she said.

WHO advocates very heavily on social support as a good response to mental health.

Despite the limitations due to the quarantine, Malik said there are ways to keep maintaining social contacts within reason to the health guidance of your country.

"Otherwise, if you have this accessible to you, digital methods of communication or even phone is a really good way to keep maintaining your social contact," Malik said.

Malik encourages people to carry on with the activities and strategies they used to do to ease their stress and anxiety in the past.

"As long as they are helpful and safe for you. Meditation could be one of those activities and it’s something that they can implement now."

How Filipinos are coping

Ken said he has been coping well and has somehow adjusted to the current situation.

"Thankfully ‘yung routine ko with checking up on people, it really helped my relationships bloom, in a way. So, secured naman ako now," he shared.

"Nag-start na kami with our online consultation, it's really fun. I'm really having fun interacting with people again being a physical therapist," he added.

Winnie, on the other hand, said when she transitioned to doing work from home set up during the third week of ECQ and it helped distract herself from the negative thoughts.

"Mas okay sa ’kin na nagkaroon ako ng ganitong klaseng opportunity para hindi ako masyadong magkaroon ng time na mag-isip ng negativity. I just used it as an anchor."

Although it gave her a glimpse of hope that things can go back to the way they were, she said there are moments she would snap back to reality.

"I know it wouldn't be the same talaga...Especially pag breaks and lunch breaks na parang babalik ka sa reality. 'Ay oo nga pala pandemic nga pala, ay oo nga pala may crisis.'"

Winnie said she maximizes what she can do with her family at home to help ease her anxiety and stress.

"We’re gonna keep doing it because it makes us feel alive and hopeful na dadating yung araw na we could do the things that we love to do the most talaga."

Meanwhile, Abigail said she would always remind herself and people around her that we're not on vacation but we're in a crisis.

"And there is no one in the world that could tell me na tama o mali ang ginagawa ko, tama o mali 'yong the way I am responding or reacting to that crisis," she said.

"I have all of these activities – learning a language, doing my workouts, eating three times a day, do fasting, low carbs, reading, listening to podcasts in my target language,I try to journal everyday and list down ano ba talaga sini-stress ko ngayon? That does not mean I’m okay."

Abigail said despite all the strategies she's been doing to keep her mental health in check, she said "every day is a different day and not every day is as good as the next." — Jannielyn Ann Bigtas/LA, GMA News