When it comes to the patients of COVID-19, everyone is concerned with their physical health and their recovery but there is not much talk about their mental well being. Imagine yourself being quarantined alone in Corona isolation ward with no known face by your side and you are facing life and death situation. How would you feel?

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In a study, it was found out that anxiety is the most common psychological disorder among the patients of COVID-19, second being depression. (Xiao et al.,2020) Similar researches have confirmed that the psychological issues are poorly handled. Whilst, the world is creating corona virus anxiety workbooks and providing online mental health care patients to the affectees, the psychopathological symptoms here in Pakistan are going unchecked.

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Patients who are quarantined, especially in facilities outside their home, face a daunting situation of social isolation, social disconnection, loneliness, anxiety , depression, phobia, fear of infection, etc. (Brooks et al., 2020). Coupled with the uncertainty of life, it is more than enough to make someone nuts. They don't have enough social support to shrug off their concerns.

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The psychological issues faced by patients occur in multiple phases. First there is a shock and anger about getting the virus, then worrying and questioning themselves about finding the source through which they contracted the flu bug. Then there comes a guilt and remorse of infecting others and mostly it's their own family. All this is followed by anticipatory stigma, the fear of getting marginalized by everyone once they are free from the virus.

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It is said that the next pandemic is right around the corner and it is not a virus but a global crisis of mental well being. The trauma faced in this pandemic will give us all a Post traumatic stress disorder. It is up to us now to either normalize insanity or to address the issues. World Health Organization is making mental well being its top notch priority now. WHO has asked to make mental health facilities available for everyone in these unprecedented times. In China, they are providing counselling online to the clients. It is time for Pakistan to come with a plan for psychological crisis before its too late.

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1260916164143783937