Anxiety, depression, domestic violence and alcohol consumption up during lockdown in Romania

People who called emergency phone lines made available by the Department for Emergency Situations in partnership with Proacta EDU Association during the lockdown have reclaimed panic attacks, as well as states of anxiety and depression, fears of disease, the fear there are no more seats in hospitals and the fear of losing their jobs. At the same time, complaints on domestic violence and alcohol consumption have been on the rise during the state of emergency.

“The top three reasons for emergency calls were panic attacks, depression and anxiety. Then, there were also fear of disease, the fear there are no more hospital beds and the people’s fear of losing their jobs, of losing the quality of life, fear that life will not be the same as before,” said Nicoleta Larisa Albert, psychologist and president of Proacta EDU.

1,600 calls have been made at the NGO’s phone line, with 11,000 minutes of conversation.

The Child’s Phone Association has too registered much more calls, as people needed psychological counseling.

“There were many situations when children had felt sad, many of them had felt depressed, had suicidal thoughts. Adaptation to the online school was not easy, many kids had difficulties in assimilating knowledge and there were many fears regarding the exams,” said Cătălina Surcel, the executive manager of the Child’s Phone Association.

The Police has also confirmed there had been more domestic violence cases during the lockdown prompted by the coronavirus state of emergency, as against the same period last year. Threats have been up by 2%, while assaults saw a 1% increase.

The same was on alcohol consumption, people would drink more during lockdown amid fears and anxiety related to the COVID-19 pandemic or just from boredom.