BACKGROUND In COVID-19 pandemic, nation-wide complete lockdown was enforced for about 10 weeks which was an unprecedented experience for all and potentially influenced mental wellbeing partly through infodemic mismanagements. This study intended to analyse the impact of media and time management pattern on mental wellbeing among general population during COVID-19 lockdown in India. METHODS An online study questionnaire was circulated among general population between 1 st April and 12th May 2020 using social networking site (s). The questionnaire included socio-demographic details, source of information and knowledge on COVID-19, impact of time spent on media, smart phone, productive and relaxation activities, general views on lockdown experience and further mental health status was screened using standardized DASS - 21 Scale. Appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics were done using SPSS statistic 26.0. RESULTS A total of 891 people responded from 11 states, mostly (89 %) from South India, and 27.5 % were having mental health problems on DASS - 21 scale. Most of the participants opined that COVID-19 information on traditional (53 %) and social media (85 %) were not completely authentic and perhaps amplifying perceptual responses. Excess time spent on media (46 %) and smart phone over exposure (61 %) had significant mental health issues and on contrary individuals who managed their time well, indulging in productive and relaxation activities were found to be psychologically stable (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the impact of media and time management pattern during lockdown emphasizing both positive and negative predictors of mental health. There is clearly a need for media regulation and working in collaboration with authorities for better mental wellbeing of the society in ongoing fight with COVID19. KEYWORDS COVID-19, Lockdown, Media, Smartphone, Time Management Pattern
Introduction: Empirical studies have documented the impact of membrane cholesterol on serotonergic function which might influence the suicidality in various psychiatric disorders. Most studies in last two decades demonstrated low cholesterol as potential predictor of suicidality in depression but trends of metabolic disorders and current status of hypercholesterolemia and biochemical abnormalities in suicidal spectrum population is scarce. Aim: The present study was aimed to comprehensively evaluate the blood levels of cholesterol and other biochemical abnormalities (serum electrolytes, proteins, blood pH etc.,) irrespective of any psychiatric disorders in suicide attempters. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 202 patients who visited our emergency hospital services with the suicidal attempt from 1st January 2019 till 31st December 2019 for a period of 12 Months. Blood evaluation and analysis were done on the same day of hospitalisation for complete blood counts, serum electrolytes, proteins and cholesterol levels. Clinical and standardised psychological evaluations for psychiatric diagnosis were performed. The results were analysed and compared using descriptive and inferential statistics based on SPSS software 21.01. Results: Out of 202 total suicide attempters, 120 (59.4%) were males and 82 (40.6%) were females with most patients 111 (54.9%) falling in the age range of 20-29; while 175 (86.6%) of patients had their first ever suicide or deliberate harm. A total of 169 (83.7%) of patients had normal complete blood counts but 106 (52.5%) showed acidic pH (<7.3) while only 5 (2.5%) of the patients had alkalosis. Serum potassium was abnormal in 43 (21.3%) patients. Further serum chloride was deranged in 13(6.4%) while serum albumin was deranged in 17 (8.4%). About 27 (13.4%) found to have increased serum cholesterol and none of them had low cholesterol. Conclusion: Excessive and dampened reactivity of biomolecular parameters including hypercholesterolemia may modulate the neurobiological stress system associated with increased suicidality. This may be one of the predictors irrespective of the underlying psychiatric disorders.
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