In this four-part series, we will look into stress management during the COVID-19 pandemic. This series aims to share information on how caregivers, patients, and their families can cope with stress as they adjust to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic in their homes or health facilities.

However, before we get into stress management, we need to understand how we can identify signs of stress brought about by COVID-19. Our first installment will identify signs of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic for caregivers, patients, and families.

Stress Triggers During COVID-19 Pandemic

Dealing with a pandemic of this magnitude requires a lot of adjustments that interrupt our day-to-day activities. For the case of COVID-19, the recommended adjustments could cause stress in the following ways:

Stress Triggers for Patients and Families 

• Lack of social connections due to quarantine or lock-down restrictions.
• Losing touch with our daily routines.
• Doubts with our safety and security assumptions due to the unknown nature of the virus.
• Mistrust in our systems that could be perceived to have failed to meet our expectations.
• Compassionate grief, even when not affected by a specific loss, we feel the grief of others.
• Anticipatory grief due to futuristic uncertainties that jeopardize our sense of safety.
• Stigmatization of surviving patients due to rejection within their communities.
• Infection anxiety due to pre-existing health conditions.

Stress Triggers for Home and Healthcare Caregivers

• Lack of proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Fear of exposure at work and taking the infection to their families.
• Limited access to testing on developing COVID-19 symptoms.
• Care uncertainty for personal and family needs if infected.
• Inability to provide competent care upon deployment to new areas.
• Limited access to information and communication.
• Stigmatization of those working with COVID-19 patients.
• Increased demands in the workplace, such as long hours and an increased number of patients.

Signs of Stress During COVID-19 Pandemic

Stress manifests itself in several ways; Mentally, Emotionally, Socially, and Physically.

Mental Signs of Stress

• Difficulty in thinking clearly.
• Confusion and disorientation.
• Challenge in decision making and problem-solving.
• Memory loss and forgetfulness.
• Misinterpreting comments or situations.

Emotional Signs of Stress

• Anxiety by fear of terror or perceived danger.
• Irritability and hostility towards others.
• Depression and deep sadness.
• Demoralization and increased frustration.
• Difficulty in maintaining an emotional balance.
• Suicidal thoughts.

Social Signs of Stress

• Isolation through withdrawal from others.
• Rebellion and increased conflict.
• Increased use/misuse of drugs or alcohol.
• Taking life-endangering risks.
• Not using PPE.
• A decline in the ability to support peers.

Physical Signs of Stress

• Chronic fatigue.
• Palpitations and rapid heart rate.
• Muscle tension.
• Frequent headaches.
• Insomnia
• Gastrointestinal issues and feeling nauseated.
• Nightmares and negative flashbacks.
• Excessively high adrenaline.
• Tremors and inability to relax.

As you continue to navigate and adjust your daily routines to the pandemic, find out how homecare services can relieve you and your loved ones from the stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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