“The overall aim of this report is to contribute to a broader understanding of the mental issues that are associated with confinement. The shifts in relationships for one, the loneliness factor, the growing number of depressed and anxious minds. The climbing suicide rates and the ever-increasing family violence that is directly attributed to the lockdowns. As stated by Beyond Blue (2020), ‘In Australia, it is estimated that 45 per cent of people will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime.’ ‘In any one year, around 1 million Australian adults have depression, and over 2 million have anxiety’.”
However, amidst the COVID pandemic, the real figures have not yet been quantified, or are suppressed in order to prevent panic and the backlash of complaints that will accompany more indepth scrutiny. The world is afraid, and fear and uncertainty have got us fixated on the number of COVID patients within regions and the mounting deaths associated. However, there are mounting deaths from other areas that are even more worrisome than the Novel Coronavirus. A deeper dive into the costs of confinement are warranted, as all lives matter, not only the lives directly attached to the virus but the circumference of life’s that are going unnoticed as the virus steals the spotlight at every turn.
The reassessment of fear, anxiety and phobias in a COVID gripped world require an expanded focus. This contribution aims to place into perspective and evaluate the effects of locking down a state like (Victoria), as well as to understand the broader dynamics we face in a world where a “safe” cure is still approximately 18 – 24 months away. Eliminating some of the widespread fear is heavily dependent on safely administering a vaccine that has gone through adequate trials to be approved as safe.