Stress, fear and anxiety depend on the information environment

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- How do you assess the psychological state of people in quarantine created by this coronavirus pandemic?

 - The quarantine regime in Azerbaijan was not announced suddenly. Bans and measures gradually increased in March. People, one might say, were preparing for this regime. That is, they were waiting. It was clear to everyone that this quarantine regime would be introduced eventually. They simply did not know the exact time. As the prohibitions gradually increased, a situation arose in people that did not carry sudden stress and psychological stress. There was no big panic. Compared to the West, there was no complete devastation of food stalls in the markets. True, we observed cases when some people bought more food. However, the introduction of a quarantine regime did not cause much panic.

- One of the reasons for the spread of the virus is low immunity. One of the nuances that lower immunity is stress, poor mood, and fear. Do you think there is stress and fear in society?

- It is incorrect to say that the only reason for the spread of the virus is weak immunity. The cause of the spread of the virus is its extreme aggressiveness and activity. Low immunity, of course, leads to faster infection, a more severe course of the disease. Undoubtedly, one of the reasons for low immunity is related to stress. There is a positive side to stress, fear and anxiety. People who live in fear of contracting the virus carefully guard themselves. Unfortunately, until recently, we saw how many people are walking around the city. This happened until weddings and mourning were forbidden. People even wanted to celebrate Novruz in hotels in the regions. That is, there was less fear and excitement. Although everyone knew that, we had to be careful to protect ourselves from the virus, so there should be fear and anxiety in a normal dose.

-What is the source of stress and fear? Is it terrible rumors due to the lack of reliable correct information, or information void? Is this a lack of information? Can the government suppress people in connection with this topic?

- I completely agree that stress, fear and anxiety depend on the information environment. When information is insufficient, inaccurate or inconsistent, people are lost. It’s hard to find a fulcrum. People do not know what to believe in, what to rely on. In the first half of March and a little later, we were faced with a situation where various sources of accurate and false information disseminated. In fact, there was too little official information, and if it was, it was incomplete. So people filled this gap with news and rumors from various sites and social networks. There was true information in it, although most were rumors. People could not separate true information from rumors. Here it should be agreed - no matter what information is bitter, it must be true. It would be good to use the experience of Estonia in this matter. There, the public is notified with completely open, transparent official information, thereby stopping the spread of rumors.

I believe that the government, poorly informing people about the existing problem, aims to simply avoid responsibility. That is, no one wants to take responsibility for providing accurate information to the public. As people experience fear and anxiety, so do government officials. No one was willing to take risks, revealing any information, possibly containing a bitter truth, since no one was aware of the true state of affairs. Recently, although not fully, official information has become more extensive.

-After the announcement of the  quarantine regime, law enforcement agencies summoned activists, oppositionists to the police, and there are even cases of administrative arrest. One of the leading opposition figures Tofig Yagublu was arrested. All this increases stress in certain circles of society and creates an atmosphere of fear. Why is the government taking these steps now? To keep people at bay even under quarantine?

- This is a difficult question. As governments combat the pandemic, even in some democracies, they have to restrict human rights. It is clear that in non-fully democratic countries, political forces use this situation, trying to put pressure on the opposite side, that is, the opposition. Including in Azerbaijan. But we must understand that both Azerbaijan and other countries must limit human rights in connection with the coronavirus pandemic. People are given the choice to either protect themselves or more serious measures will be taken. The reality is that along with some prohibitions related to the pandemic, factors that violate human rights will be used. We must accept this as reality. But, of course, regret is the fact that not only the opposition is under pressure, but also people whose dissent is contrary to official opinion.

-What would you recommend as a doctor? What steps should people, society and the government take so that people can keep their spirits healthy in a pandemic and quarantine regime?

- First of all, the government, along with solving health problems, must demonstrate its readiness to protect the population. These are social, financial problems, as well as problems of small and medium-sized businesses. This must be resolved, as this is being discussed. However, so far there is nothing real. When issuing loans, the government should provide some support to the population, 60-70% of whom work in an informal setting for daily bribes. If the government does not, the quarantine regime will be violated in any case. People do not think that they will die or will not die, they will become ill with an unknown virus, but if they cannot earn a living, they will violate the regime. In this matter, the government should support and protect people.

People should also support each other. This is a hopeless situation. A couple of days ago I read on one of the Russian sites the tips of being at home forcibly. Home recluses advised against depression while at home. This is a good experience. In Azerbaijan, many people are under house shutter. Their tips and tricks will also be interesting. It would be nice to know how people deal with the stress and psychological stress of home retreat, which is more complicated than quarantine.