Guidebook on mental health and COVID-19

The objectives of this guide are to orient professionals on mental health issues during COVID-19 pandemic and learn practical skills for self-mental health care and wellbeing. The COVID-19 pandemic is putting an enormous strain on health and economic systems. The impacts of the pandemic on mental health and psychosocial well-being are large and diverse. The psychological impact of the epidemic on the general public, patients, medical staff, children, and older adults have been reported worldwide.

Although no detailed study on the mental health status of mass people and frontline workers facing the epidemic has been conducted to date in Bangladesh, mental health specialists addressed the challenges of the frontline workers, especially doctors and nurses, and also the mental health consequences of the COVID-19 infected individuals. This guidebook has two separate sections. The first section indicates common mental health issues among mass people during COVID-19 pandemic and the second section addresses the psychosocial issues of frontline health and other workers. For both sections, intervention technique including basic psychosocial skills and self-care is incorporated. This guidebook is expected to integrate mental health care into daily COVID-19 response and make a difference in the wellbeing of people.