Mental ecology in the structure of the COVID-19 pandemic (review)

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Abstract

Currently, sufficient data are available on the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic consequences on human mental health and the mental ecology in general. The success of public health strategies to cope with pandemics is largely determined by psychological factors and the mental values prevailing in the community at large.

The present review systematized the psychological response features of various social, professional, and national representatives during the COVID-19 period within the framework of the main mental ecology provisions.

The review methodology was based on the World Health Organization documents and open sources of the Scopus and Web of Science databases on the population's mental health under COVID-19 pandemic conditions.

A significant increase in adaptive and anxiety-depressive disorders was noted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the specific mental phenomena associated with the pandemic, coronaphobia, COVID-19-stress syndrome, covid-dissidence manifestations with the involvement of conspiracy theories, and mythological thinking were identified. The negative infodemia impact on the mental ecology, as well as the adherence to anti-epidemic measures and readiness for vaccination, were also established. Negative trends were demonstrated in communities where the maximum infection and death risk were associated with low adherence to the epidemiological measures and refusal to vaccination.

It was revealed that belonging to certain social or professional groups largely determines a person's behavior in relation to a new coronavirus infection within the framework of accepted social norms. Based on the analysis of a large domestic and international data number on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic emergency on the human psyche, its significant adverse contribution to the overall mental ecology was noted. The necessity of developing special therapeutic and psycho-prophylactic programs aimed at coping with the stress pandemic impact and treatment of affective disorders, countering infodemia, and strengthening behavioral patterns to maintain mental health and personal well-being is substantiated.

About the authors

Anna V. Vasileva

V.M. Bekhterev National Research Medical Center for Psychiatry and Neurology; North-Western State Medical University after I.I. Mechnikov

Author for correspondence.
Email: annavdoc@yahoo.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5116-836X
SPIN-code: 2406-9046

Dr. Sci. (Med.), assistant professor

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg; Saint Petersburg

Nikolay G. Neznanov

V.M. Bekhterev National Research Medical Center for Psychiatry and Neurology; Pavlov University

Email: spbinstb@bekhterev.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5618-4206
SPIN-code: 9772-0024

Dr. Sci. (Med.), professor

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg; Saint Petersburg

Andrey G. Soloviev

Northern State Medical University

Email: ASoloviev1@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0350-1359
SPIN-code: 2952-0619

Dr. Sci. (Med.), professor

Russian Federation, Arkhangelsk

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Copyright (c) 2022 Vasileva A.V., Neznanov N.G., Soloviev A.G.

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