Citation

Ransing R, Pinto da Costa M, Adiukwu F, Grandinetti P, Schuh Teixeira AL, Kilic O, Soler-Vidal J, Ramalho R. Asian J. Psychiatry 2020; 53: e102386.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102386

PMID

32919152

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed the world at risk of an increased incidence of psychological distress and mental disorders (e.g., anxiety, fear, post-traumatic stress disorder) (Ransing et al., 2020; Smith et al., 2020; Tandon, 2020). Though prevention and management of these conditions are imperative, delivery of evidence-based in person psychotherapeutic interventions (e.g., CBT) has been hampered due to lockdown, physical distancing, and overburdened health care systems. The provision of these interventions via telecommunication has its limitations, like the digital divide in low-middle income countries, lack of adequate training in telepsychiatry in many countries (Pereira-Sanchez et al., 2020), and lack of access to a telephone connection (Malathesh et al., 2020). Consequently, the burden of mental illness may remain unaddressed for specific populations if unprovided with viable alternatives.

Some countries have to be ready to deal with the double risk presented by both COVID-19 and natural disasters. For example, Fiji, Bangladesh and India have in May 2020 faced the consequences of Cyclones Harold and Amphan, respectively. Natural disasters have shown to have a significant impact on mental health (Durrani et al., 2019). Unfortunately, natural disasters further increase the difficulties for people to access mental health care, including digital. This dual risk presented by COVID-19 and the possibility of natural disasters reinforces the need to identify and provide viable alternatives to the one of telecare. Ideally, any suggested option should be evidence-based, self-reliant, feasible, acceptable, appropriate, and non-dependent on access to telecommunications.

In this letter, we explore the potential utility of Yoga as such an alternative...

Language: en