Signs and Symptoms of Mental Distress During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ines Cano

If you are feeling stressed, not your usual self and finding it difficult to navigate during the COVID-19 pandemic, you are not alone. The difficulties, restrictions and other elements connected with the pandemic may be taking a toll on your mental health. During today’s As the Experts webcast, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Ines Cano discussed some of the signs and symptoms of the toll it takes on a person.

Ines Cano, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

“You might experience changes in mood and it is normal to have those rollercoaster moments happening in our life at this moment; from feeling irritable, to sad to anxious and even to the point to getting angry at time because of all the things we have to do social distancing, social isolation; social distancing. This can lead to changes in our sleep habit that we either sleep too much or we have difficulty falling or staying asleep and these things change the mental health aspect. We all know that the more we rest, the better it is for the brain to process the situation and in processing that we are able to adapt and make the changes to move on. This in turn can lead to changes in appetite and weight.  We all know that the brain functions in such a way that everything is inter-related. So, if we are not sleeping well, either too little or too much which may lead to changes in weight. This is all related going back to stress how we are coping with our everyday situation at this current moment.”