I knew something was wrong with the man walking ahead of me. He was wearing black pants and a black shirt but I knew he could not be in black to support those saying the government has failed the people or the contract doctors asking for a better deal.

The pants were torn on one leg and his gait seemed to indicate a man who was uncertain of himself, of where he was heading.

I stopped my car and asked if I could help but he ignored me and walked on. I asked again, this time louder, but he kept walking, a vacant look in his eyes. He appeared to be muttering something to himself.

By then I noticed that two cars had stopped behind me and moved on but before I turned the corner to return to my house, I spotted another man walking on the opposite side of the road. With dishevelled hair and an unkempt look, he was definitely talking to himself. He too appeared to have a vacant look.

This was the first time I had seen such a sight in my area in about a decade.

I had taken a short drive within my housing estate to keep my car battery alive. Three days earlier, my car wouldn’t start and I knew from the sound that it had to do with the battery. I had had the battery for more than a year but due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant restriction movements, my car had spent most of the past 15 months or so parked at my house rather than travelling on the road.

The insurance company sent over a mechanic with a battery but when he tried to jump start, the car came alive. He said he had been kept busy jump-starting cars because most people were not using their vehicles as frequently as they should.

Since then, every two days at least, I have been taking a short drive within my housing estate.

When I told a friend about what I had seen, he said he’d also come across a man walking in a daze near his area. Both of us live in housing estates populated by middle and lower-middle income earners, not a place where you’d see vagrants or people walking around aimlessly.

His explanation didn’t help as I already knew what he was saying: People are becoming more and more desperate due to the pandemic-induced prolonged restriction movements.

Families are without breadwinners as some have lost their jobs or are unable to go out and sell or provide a service to earn a living as they used to do due to the movement restrictions. Stress is building up and many are unable to handle it.

The biggest proof that people are under tremendous duress and that depression is strangling more individuals is the fact that suicides are increasing and helplines are getting more calls.

According to the police, there were 468 suicides in the first five months of 2021. This compares with 631 for the whole of 2020 and 609 in 2019. Police said the three main causes were family problems, emotional pressure and finances.

The fire and rescue department responded to 88 suicide cases between March and July this year, rescuing 78 of them. Seven individuals were injured and three died.

Talking about suicides, I would like to add my voice to those who are calling for attempted suicide to be decriminalised. It’s really a crime to punish someone who is in such pain that he or she wants to die. They need support, not a talking down or a jail sentence.

Befrienders Kuala Lumpur recorded 20,575 calls from January to June this year. For the whole of 2020, it received 32,710 calls. During the first movement control order (MCO) period from March to June last year, Befrienders KL received 9,754 calls but for the same period this year, they received 14,136 calls for help.

Most of us don’t need a psychiatrist or a psychologist to tell us that loss of jobs, fear of catching the virus, economic uncertainty, loneliness, being cooped up at home, and the loss of coping mechanisms such as sipping coffee or teh tarik while chatting with friends or travelling to unwind have contributed to this situation.

That is why, I think, the movement restrictions have to be very, very targeted and people should be allowed to go for their daily walks or exercise, and to socialise, but within set rules – such as wearing masks and maintaining physical distance.

The government has a duty to help those who have lost their sources of income. Aid must reach the daily wage earner, the contract worker and those not on official government lists. Government policies and programmes must be tailored to alleviate the distress of businessmen and traders – especially the small timers – and help them stay afloat. This will help reduce their stress levels.

Ultimately, however, maintaining psychological balance rests with us. Here are some tips from the University of California San Francisco’s department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences:

• Stay physically safe from the virus by, for example, washing your hands with soap and practising physical distancing;
• Reduce stress arousal through breathing practices such as yogic pranayama, which is very calming. Making the exhalation longer than the inhalation, in a 2:1 ratio, can help calm the body. For instance, inhale to the count of 4 and exhale to the count of 8.
• Limit Covid-19 media exposure to no more than twice a day and try to avoid reading about Covid-19 before bedtime;
• Get and provide comforting social support by video, phone, email or text. Talking with others who have our best interests at heart makes us feel safe.
• Find ways of expressing kindness, patience and compassion, and be extra kind to yourself.
• Routine and ritual are restorative as our brain wants predictable activity so that we can relax our vigilant nervous system. Go to bed early and go outside each day to be active. If you want to change your mood, change your activities and/or your thoughts;
• Eat well because good nutrition helps your mood. Drop junk food as it is linked to depression and anxiety. Try to fill your home with fresh produce, vegetables and whole foods when possible;
• Working from home may be new to you and can have its own challenges, especially in a small home with children so don’t expect to have the same type of productivity as usual. Confine your workspace to a specific clear area in your home so your job doesn’t intrude on your personal needs;
• Getting enough sleep keeps your immune system strong. It is natural to experience more disturbed sleep during this pandemic. Before going to bed, the first thing to do is to say goodbye to all Covid-19-related news. One to two hours prior to bed, unplug from email, news, and anything else that creates a busy mind and begin focusing on creating a calm, relaxing environment. Turn down the lights and do things that are relaxing such as reading, listening to music, or a meditation audio. Avoid alcohol close to bedtime and discontinue caffeine after noon; and
• Meditate to maintain balance. This is especially important for healthcare providers as it helps reduce personal stress. (UCSF even offers meditation webinars).

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.

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