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Stress relievers of social distancing adopted by the general public in the Covid-19 pandemic

. Farah Azhar, Afreen Bhatty, Tehreem Kanwa, Syeda Noor Israr, Farah Ahmad & Sadia Arif.


Abstract

This survey found that the majority of participants are uncomfortable and unable to stop worrying during the pandemic, which might be due to unexpected shifts in socializing being replaced by social distancing.The COVID-19 pandemic has an impact on worldwide populations and transforms people's lifestyles when they know about social distancing for the first time. This study consists of a survey of the general population during the pandemic for their stress-coping methods during the period of March 2020 to January 2021. A total of 403 individuals were recruited in this study, among them 267 (66.3%) females and 136 (33.7%) males. Most of the study participants were healthcare providers. This survey found that the majority of participants are uncomfortable and unable to stop worrying during the pandemic, which might be due to unexpected shifts in socializing being replaced by social distancing.The survey found different coping strategies in the Pakistani population for coping with anxiety and depression during the peak days of lockdown. Among them praying, using social media, and watching movies are mostly observed activities.Eight coping strategies were found: Praying, watching movies/series, using social media and socializing with loved ones (e.g., through video calls), cooking, engaging in exercise, being occupied with gardening, engaging in meditation activities, and medication.

KEYWORDS: COVID-19, stress, anxiety, social distancing, stress relievers

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