The COVID pandemic in the last two years is enough time to continue life, mental health expert Dr. Marjorie Paz Calud said during the weekly Kapihan sa Kapitolyo.
“Filipinos are resilient. We easily learn to cope with the situation,” Calud explained.
Calud, the technical consultant of the Integrated Provincial Health Office, stressed that life is too beautiful to waste on living in fear because of COVID 19.
“Learn to live with it. Take care of your mental health,” she pointed out.
She explained that lack of information is driving people to panic.
“People believed that the brand of COVID 19 vaccine matters because of the source. These are normal gestures have given our situation,” Calud said.
Anxiety-related to post-vaccination is a usual reaction, she said.
“There are times that people experience somatic symptoms because they worry too much about physical symptoms.
Individuals with somatic symptom disorder experience excessive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors relating to the physical symptoms.
“Pandemic makes us weak. It weakens our immune system. Don’t live with fear!'” she emphasized.
Calud advised the public to have enough sleep, take nutritious food, and exercise to increase immunity.
She also said to treat the pandemic as a normal situation with caution using minimum health protocols.
“Visit an expert for psychological first aid when things are too much to handle,” she added.
