The invisible wounds

This article is published in number 9 of Vanity Fair on newsstands until March 1, 2022

Two years of fears, uncertainties, lockdowns, restrictions and various anti-Covid measures have deeply affected the collective psyche, considerably raising stress levels and generating states of anxiety, psychosomatic disorders and a sense of constant malaise that it is difficult to overcome. A new large study, published in the British medical journal The Bmj, also highlighted the high risk of developing mental problems especially among those who, in recent years, have contracted the virus. There is talk of a real one “Psychopandemic”with a long wave of discomfort and psychological disturbances that could last for years and affect a very high percentage of people.

The data released recently by the National Council of the Order of Psychologists show an alarming picture: in the Covid era, as many as 8 out of 10 people developed symptoms of structured psychological malaise – or “adaptation disorders” – and 2 out of 10 more severe mental disorders . Even on the front of childhood and adolescence, the estimates offer a highly problematic picture: 1 in 7 is affected by a neuropsychiatric disorder and 1 in 3 has an adaptation, behavioral and relational problem.

“We have all suffered, without distinction, a trauma that has been prolonged over time,” he explains Alessandro De Carloprofessor of psychology at the University of Padua and scientific director of Sygmund, online psychological counseling platform. «An objective event that destroyed our certainties, canceled our habits, transformed our lives and which subjected us to profound and lasting psychological stress. Even today, that we are no longer in lockdown and we see various restrictions loosened, we cannot say that we have completely gotten out of them and the state of social uncertainty we are experiencing continues to weigh on the psyche, representing a social risk factor that should not be underestimated “.

What psychological impact is this state of uncertainty linked to the evolution of the pandemic having, specifically?
«It works by multiplying the sense of unease, of difficulty, of suffering. Uncertainty is one of the heaviest stressors and as such increases the effects of the trauma itself. If on the one hand there are those who have been able to process it in these two years, on the other hand there are those who have developed a psychological wound that does not cancel itself out and which, if not addressed, can leave consequences “.

What are the symptoms that it is important not to underestimate?
«The symptoms generated by stress can be multiple and can be divided into three types: physiological symptoms – often intestinal and cardiovascular in nature – such as gastritis, tachycardia and heart disease in general. Then there are the psychological symptoms, such as anxiety, problems related to mood, depression, without forgetting sleep disorders and panic attacks. Finally, there are the behavioral symptoms, which manifest themselves with a change – tendentially negative – in one’s habits: worse relationship with smoking, alcohol or food. And again: increased aggression, reduction of sociability, withdrawal behaviors ».

Professor, how important is psychological support at this moment?
«Faced with a state of persistent discomfort and psychological discomfort, the help and support of a professional can be essential. Because you can also think not to act, that sooner or later everything will fall into place by itself. But in reality this does not happen, it does not work like this: a trauma has by definition long-lasting effects and the consequences of an ignored mental illness or a neglected psychopathology can also involve very high social costs. Psychological support – it should be clarified – is not aimed at very serious discomfort; not all people who choose to go to a psychologist are “sick” people, indeed. The point is the need to intervene on certain symptoms to prevent them from worsening over time ».

Is it possible to get out of this state of malaise?
«In principle, yes, it is possible. A good psychologist and a good psychotherapist have various intervention techniques at their disposal and are able to do a lot, depending on the nature of the problems expressed. Are they more felt in the workplace or in the family? Are Panic Attacks Problems? Withdrawal behaviors? Depression? For an effective therapy it will always be necessary to start from individuality, to understand where this trauma has acted in the psyche of a person, and to obtain results, a timely psychological intervention is essential and as widespread as possible “.