Abstract
Recent research shows significant effects of the pandemic COVID-19 situation information in mass media on the population’s mental health. These effects have to be impartially assessed and thoroughly analyzed in order to prevent mental and psychosomatic diseases, maladjustment to restrictions caused by a lockdown. Social media platforms are among the most widely used sources of information in the world, the easy and inexpensive access to the internet and a large number of social networks make them the most effective ways to disseminate information. The problem is that this information may be truthful or fake. Mass media play a crucial role in people’s lives in regular situation and is especially significant in the situation of lockdown due to COVID-19 spreading. It is obvious that for complete understanding of people’s anxiety and unexplainable fear social surveys using standard psychological tools should be used, although special scales for evaluating pandemic effects on people’s lives have not been created yet. The authors emphasize the need to take into account qualitative analysis of the entire completeness of stress effects in a situation of pandemic (virtual threat and information stress, deprivation, self-isolation, loneliness, socio-economic stress) and suggest a means to prevent stress-associated mental and psychosomatic disorders. Copyright © 2021 by Academic Publishing House Researcher s.r.o.
Highlights
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought an unprecedented health crisis and a sensation of alarm, uncertainty and chaos where the search for information is the daily antidote to calm restlessness and to stay in touch
The level of anxiety was determined and the level of personal anxiety
Conclusion quick access to the Internet and different social networks platforms can help during a pandemic to quickly spread new important information, to share diagnostic, treatment and follow-up protocols, comparing different approaches from other parts of the world to adapt them to local setting and available resources, there definitely exists the downside of possible dissemination of fake data, myths, and pessimist information that combined with quarantine states and lockdown situation may lead to anxiety, depression, forgetfulness and in some extreme cases, serious mental disorders and even the suicide
Summary
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought an unprecedented health crisis and a sensation of alarm, uncertainty and chaos where the search for information is the daily antidote to calm restlessness and to stay in touch. Based on the official statement of the WHO that considered the Coronavirus a pandemic due to its rapid spread throughout the world (Sevillano, 2020 ), the governments of different countries took measures to prevent spread of the disease and to fight the impact of the virus. Among them there is the limitation of business activities and the confinement of the population, as well as self-isolation and quarantine measures when necessary. All of these measures cause anxiety, depression and the sense of loneliness. It is a means to follow recommendations of the world scientists concerning symptoms, the course of disease, innovative medication and methods of treatment
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