GOQii

Blog

  • HOME
  • HEALTHY LIVING
  • FITNESS
  • HEALTHY RECIPES
  • USER STORIES
  • KARMA
  • BUY GOQii

October 2, 2020 By Anusha Subramanian 1 Comment

GOQii’s Mental Health Study Reveals 43% Indians Plagued With Depression

depression

The current Pandemic situation across the world has taken a toll on people and Indians are no different. It has led to fear, panic and anxiety among people. The corona-stress is taking a toll on the mental health of people world over. To add to it, social distancing – key and essential steps taken to curtail the spread, is leading to minimal human contact and negligible physical social connections. The pandemic has only intensified depression.

With the fear of losing livelihood and going out, insecurity for oneself and loved ones, anxiety, health scares and the overall volatile environment, stress levels are at an all-time high. Copious amounts of stress can lead to depression.

A recent study undertaken by GOQii indicates that 43% of Indians are depressed and are learning to cope with it. Another 26% Indians are facing mild depression, 17% face a more strenuous kind. It is concerning to note that 6% Indians are severely depressed, the study indicated.

How Has The Lockdown Affected Mental Health? 

The study was conducted by GOQii, across 10000+ Indians, to understand how COVID has changed lifestyle and how Indians are adapting to the new normal. This is a comparative study and highlights the glaring difference in lifestyle habits pre-corona and post lockdown. As per the study, a large section of the population has little interest in doing things in the current scenario.

There is a cause of concern with more than 59% of the population having little pleasure in doing things these days, out of which 38% have this feeling on a few days and 9% feel so more than half of the days. 12% of the population have little interest almost every day in these times.

“Anxiety is one of the symptoms of depression. Most people are anxious on various counts. For some it is about not having a regular routine as they did in normal times,” says Divya Thampi, an Emotional Wellness Coach on GOQii Play, the interactive video coaching platform. 

As a counsellor, she has found that for many individuals, it’s related to the work from home (WFH) situation. Work hours have invariably extended, there is lack of boundaries, lack of sleep, lack of motivation to work and lots of nervousness – all leading to anxiety.

Many are experiencing the ‘MEH’ feeling. This is an emotion that says a lot without saying much. It is a feeling where one has little interest in doing things, does not want to get up from the couch, wants to eat copious amounts of food and especially the urge to eat sugary things, procrastinating to do certain tasks that need to be done and many such things.

Key Insights of the Study 

As per the GOQii study, approximately 10% feel down and depressed more than half of the days or nearly every day.  The study further indicates that a large section of the population has little interest in doing things in the current scenario. There is a cause for concern with more than 59% of the population having little pleasure in doing things these days, out of which 38% have this feeling on a few days, 9% feel thus on more than half of the days and 12% of the population have little interest in anything almost every day.

The fact that there are no boundaries, no routine to follow and also that many have yet not been able to adjust to the new normal is creating problems for some. “Most people feel energetic when there is sense of purpose or a goal to achieve,” Thampi adds.

Counsellors and mental health practitioners say that from a pandemic perspective, the number of people reaching out for help is increasing and many are newcomers. The common feeling among most is that of ‘not feeling okay’.

Given The Situation, How Does One Cope With Depression?

What are the coping mechanisms that can ease the stress of those going through some or the other mental condition?

Coping mechanisms are varied. Under normal circumstances, walking in nature is advised, as it calms you and relaxes your mind. But in the current scenario, being indoors and not being able to step out is a challenge for many. Also, most look for a safe place to be able to talk to someone or their counsellors. Mental health practitioners say these days many are unable to do that. Given such a scenario what is the way out?

Thampi says, “When there a purpose or a goal set for yourself, you will be occupied to get that task or goal completed. Taking up something as a challenge works well as it gives you some engagement. Secondly, if you cannot go out, having plants around you is a good option as that is a connection to nature as well.”

Mental practitioners recommend that individuals in this condition should talk to people with whom they feel safe. One should also reach out for therapists if necessary. The positive factor is that people are reaching out for counselling. Counsellors and Mental Health practitioners echo one point that mental health is now being discussed openly by families, parents and even corporations. It is being taken seriously.

Mental health is an important part of overall health and wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel and act. It may also affect how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices during an emergency. We need more conversations around the issue and people need to realise its ‘okay’ to talk about it.  

Search

Recent Posts

  • 4 Ways to Naturally Heal Common Cold and Flu
  • 8 Incredible Health Benefits Of Surya Namaskar 
  • Can Okra Control Blood Sugar Naturally?
  • Quick Indoor Workout To Keep You Active!
  • Rice and Pasta Substitutes For A Healthier You!

Stay Updated

Archives

  • June 2022 (30)
  • May 2022 (31)
  • April 2022 (30)
  • March 2022 (31)
  • February 2022 (28)
  • January 2022 (31)
  • December 2021 (31)
  • November 2021 (29)
  • October 2021 (29)
  • September 2021 (24)
  • August 2021 (28)
  • July 2021 (23)
  • June 2021 (25)
  • May 2021 (18)
  • April 2021 (21)
  • March 2021 (23)
  • February 2021 (18)
  • January 2021 (13)
  • December 2020 (11)
  • November 2020 (7)
  • October 2020 (13)
  • September 2020 (12)
  • August 2020 (13)
  • July 2020 (11)
  • June 2020 (11)
  • May 2020 (13)
  • April 2020 (16)
  • March 2020 (15)
  • February 2020 (9)
  • January 2020 (8)
  • December 2019 (9)
  • November 2019 (12)
  • October 2019 (13)
  • September 2019 (10)
  • August 2019 (13)
  • July 2019 (17)
  • June 2019 (14)
  • May 2019 (15)
  • April 2019 (17)
  • March 2019 (17)
  • February 2019 (19)
  • January 2019 (22)
  • December 2018 (13)
  • November 2018 (10)
  • October 2018 (12)
  • September 2018 (13)
  • August 2018 (23)
  • July 2018 (15)
  • June 2018 (22)
  • May 2018 (16)
  • April 2018 (24)
  • March 2018 (18)
  • February 2018 (14)
  • January 2018 (20)
  • December 2017 (14)
  • November 2017 (28)
  • October 2017 (21)
  • September 2017 (22)
  • August 2017 (9)
  • July 2017 (11)
  • June 2017 (13)
  • May 2017 (14)
  • April 2017 (9)
  • March 2017 (6)
  • February 2017 (7)
  • January 2017 (11)
  • December 2016 (10)
  • November 2016 (8)
  • October 2016 (9)
  • September 2016 (7)
  • August 2016 (12)
  • July 2016 (11)
  • June 2016 (10)
  • May 2016 (12)
  • April 2016 (17)
  • March 2016 (18)
  • February 2016 (8)
  • January 2016 (7)
  • December 2015 (5)
  • November 2015 (10)
  • October 2015 (8)
  • September 2015 (10)
  • August 2015 (14)
  • July 2015 (11)
  • June 2015 (14)
  • May 2015 (9)
  • April 2015 (13)
  • March 2015 (10)
  • February 2015 (6)
  • January 2015 (12)
  • December 2014 (14)
  • November 2014 (11)
  • October 2014 (6)
  • September 2014 (14)
  • August 2014 (14)
  • July 2014 (7)
  • June 2014 (3)
  • May 2014 (8)
  • April 2014 (5)
Devesh Srivastava

Devesh Srivastava Lowers His HbA1c from 6.7 to 5.8 With GOQii

Have you ever suffered from a cold or fever and thought to yourself that you can manage this? In fact, there’s a good chance that with some medication and rest, the symptoms of a cold or fever have subsided. But, when you deal with issues such as Diabetes and … [Read More...]

Achal Agarwal

Achal Agarwal Loses 37kg, Reverses Lifestyle Diseases & Gets Healthier With GOQii

When we think of weight loss, the first thing that comes to mind is to eat less and exercise. Theoretically, this is the right way to go about it. But, this is not as easy as it sounds. It requires a great level of determination and willpower. However, once the decision to succeed is made, […]

Ruta Pandya

How Ruta Pandya Managed Ulcerous Colitis & Arthritis With Lifestyle Changes

We’ve always spoken about how you can manage lifestyle diseases with minor tweaks to your habits. But sometimes, it isn’t enough. Especially when one condition leads to another. Our player Ruta Pandya suffered from a condition called Ulcerous Colitis and a series of other medical issues which she battled for years. After fighting an uphill […]

Suneeta Mane

Suneeta Mane Goes From Stagnant To Unstoppable!

Health conditions arising out of lifestyle or hormonal imbalances can seem like a death sentence. These health conditions not only affect your wellbeing but also your mental health and it can seem like a bottomless hole you can’t crawl out of. But that’s not true. If you are determined, you can not only crawl out […]

  • HOME
  • HEALTHY LIVING
  • FITNESS
  • HEALTHY RECIPES
  • USER STORIES
  • KARMA
  • BUY GOQii

Copyright ©2016 GOQii