Pandemic Fatigue: Omicron Pushes Canadians Deeper

With Steady decline Things seemed promising to Canadians in the new COVID-19 case that occurred at the beginning of the fall season. By continuing to receive the vaccine and relaxing the restrictions, it seemed that daily life began to return to normal.

But then things changed a lot. The daily number of cases in this country has consistently increased since mid-November and is only accelerated by the emergence of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant. According to Ahmad Firas Khalid, a health policy expert and professor at the University of York, this recent increase in the number of cases contributes to a new level of fatigue in Canadians.

“If you’re already … emotionally, mentally and physically tired from this pandemic, this variant is a catalyst for being more tired and more physically tired,” he said in a telephone interview. I told CTVNews.ca. “Omicron variants are like putting gas in a flammable situation already.”

As Khalid explained, the emergence of this new variant has made many Canadians feel as if the pandemic is not over yet. The associated fatigue contributes to discouragement, as people are less likely to follow public health measures to protect themselves and those around them, he said.

“Prolonged or chronic public health crises like COVID-19 make people’s mental abilities so diminished that they can’t pay the same level of attention to their decisions,” he said.

Khalid used the example of attending a party. Previously, before deciding whether to go, you might have considered an element called a “filter” if you had a vaccination obligation, how many people were involved, whether you needed a mask, and so on.

However, he explained that due to the pandemic-fueled fatigue, people are feeling a lack of willingness to follow public health recommendations, such as making meetings smaller and wearing masks. Basically, these “filters” that normally prevent people from taking actions that could threaten their health are no longer considered.

“In a pandemic fatigue, what happens in the end is that the information used to inform people’s decisions is actually diminishing over time,” he said. “The mind is mentally fried because we can think about the impact because we don’t have better words.”

Additional stress from other aspects of life, such as work and the economy, only increases the likelihood of developing a pandemic fatigue, Khalid said.

“Stress is the number one determinant of deteriorating the health of any individual,” he said. “We know that stress can affect people’s daily functions and remind us of important elements of our lives.”

The link between stress and the “pandemic brain”

Karl Szpunar, an assistant professor of psychology at Ryerson University and director of the school’s Institute of Memory, explains that stress is one of the biggest contributors to what is called a “pandemic brain.” It’s not really a medical term, but he says it’s becoming pretty common.

“Pandemic brain”, “brain fog” – these are terms that help people begin to understand the set of symptoms that people tend to report fairly consistently, with poor concentration and lack of attention. [and] Szpunar told CTV News.ca in a video call.

“Everyone has the experience of forgetting where to put the key or sending an email when they think, but this kind of thing seems to happen more often than before. “

According to Szpunar, the increased levels of stress experienced in daily life as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated blockade measures are strongly associated with a “pandemic brain.”

He points out the early days of the outbreak, plagued by questions about the safety of visiting grocery stores and touching contact surfaces such as doorknobs. Currently, concerns continue to focus on social gatherings and telecommuting situations. Anxiety may have progressed, but stress remains.

“Before the pandemic, we knew that stress had a very detrimental effect not only on our mental health, but also on our physical health, causing inflammation throughout our body and brain. “He said. “These reactions can adversely affect the parts of the brain that are important for concentration, attention, and memory.”

Szpunar explains that the stress caused by a pandemic can affect both long-term and short-term memory, especially the recent memory surrounding everyday life. At the neurological level, he says, stress-induced inflammatory responses can affect parts of the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex. This is important for paying attention to the work at hand and remembering past experiences. This part of the brain is damaged over time by long-term stress.

“It’s not that I’ve never heard of these things before. If you’ve been pulling all night, or if you’ve experienced jet lag, a single parent will raise a child to work and do everything. If you’re trying to make ends meet, these individuals will tell you that this has been a struggle for a very long time, “he said. “That’s right now, we’re looking at this at a more collective level.”

How feelings of loneliness affect the brain

Barbara Sahakian, a professor of clinical neuropsychology at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, has done considerable research on the effects of social isolation on the brain as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.she Recent research She co-authored an assessment of sensitivity to negative information during a pandemic.

“We have found that the blockage is essentially creating very negative thoughts, perceptions and prejudices that affect our brain,” she told CTV News.ca over the phone. “The behavior that focuses on these negative aspects is similar to what a depressed person does.”

The results show that the loneliness experienced as a result of the pandemic blockade contributes to more frequent negative thoughts, she explains. Studies show that these negative emotional biases are depression, Related to cognitive impairment, Or memory and concentration problems.

Sahakian also points out that these emotions can affect the brain’s ability to regulate emotions.

Top-down cognitive control over the emotional brain allows people to manage their emotions, Sahakian explains. When someone is upset, they usually try to rationalize it and show that they can control their emotional reactions. This includes the use of the amygdala, an area of ​​the brain that helps process emotions.

But for someone Depressed personThis causes the amygdala to become overactive, resulting in overreaction to negative events and cognitive bias, including perceiving the world more negatively.

“That was more or less what happened during the COVID period,” she said.

According to Sahakian, some of the solutions for managing these stresses and loneliness are in social interaction.

“If you can keep yourself reasonably socially connected, that’s all. [negative thinking] It has been reduced, “said Sahakian. “That social connection was a really strong protective factor.”

Maintaining social ties can act as a distraction from the negatives around us, she says. Not only can they help others cheer us up, but they can also serve as an exit for us to diverge about our problems.

“Loneliness … and that isolation has a huge impact on people,” she said. “If we have a social connection, it provides us with a kind of resilience.”

and Recent research According to Statistics Canada, more than 10% of Canadians over the age of 15 often or constantly feel lonely. Results were recorded in August and September of this year as part of the Canadian Social Survey and are only attended by residents of Canadian provinces.

Among those surveyed, more women than men report loneliness, with 15% of women saying they often or always feel lonely compared to 11% of men. Loneliness is more common among younger age groups, with 23% of respondents between the ages of 15 and 24 claiming that they feel lonely frequently or constantly. This is compared to 9% between the ages of 65 and 74 and 14% over the age of 75.

Almost a quarter of people living alone say they experience loneliness frequently or constantly. This is more than twice as much as people who live with others.

Although it does not necessarily prove that loneliness has a negative impact on mental health, a significant number of respondents who frequently feel lonely consider themselves to have poor mental health. The results show that 49% of those who reported feeling lonely frequently or constantly classified their mental health as fair or poor. Looking at those who claim that they rarely or never feel lonely, only 7% thought their mental health was fair or poor.

What you can do to prevent a “pandemic brain”

When finding ways to improve memory and cognition, Sahakian suggests anything that creates a positive state of mind or promotes a healthy lifestyle. She especially recommends exercise.

“We know that the hippocampus is very important for learning and memory,” she said, giving concrete examples of everyday memory, such as remembering where you parked your car or where you put your phone. I pointed out.

“Exercise stimulates neurogenesis in the brain. [the development of] New brain cells, and as it does in the hippocampal-like area, it actually strengthens that area of ​​the brain and aids our memory and learning. “

In addition to maintaining social ties, Sahakian also encourages eating a healthy and balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and even looking for volunteer opportunities. It activates the brain’s reward system.

“Volunteers give people a sense of the meaning of life, which promotes happiness, health, and happiness,” she said. “We have found that older people are more satisfied with their lives and less likely to have depression or anxiety.”

Szpunar also points to activities that have been shown to reduce stress levels, such as listening to music and meditating.

“The recommendations we provide are the same as those provided before the pandemic, each focusing on always taking care of ourselves,” he said. “Some of these answers aren’t very exciting, but they work.”