Italy, a European country with a rich tradition and economy, has left a powerful mark on Western culture and cuisine. Whether it is lasagna, a slice of pizza, or even a cone of gelato, Italy is known all around the world for its delicious food. Galileo’s caliber gifted the world the ability to witness the unknown beyond the skylines with telescopes. From Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo’s artistic genius to great Rome’s Colosseum, one of the wonders of the world, the list goes on… Italy is one of the most visited countries by tourists in the world and one of the best in Europe.
That was all before the COVID-19 outbreak.
New words like quarantine, lockdown, or COVID-19 entered our day-to-day vocabulary and Italy made the headlines in our news. COVID-19 spread throughout Europe in just a month and Italy was hit hard. Italy alongside USA has shown just how deadly this virus can be. More than 300,000 people were infected and over 30,000 people in Italy have lost their lives due to the virus. The Country faced a complete lockdown for more than two months in order to stop the spreading of the virus. COVID-19 has no cure yet. The Italians waged war against the coronavirus. Statistics speak that the cases of the infected are currently going down. The country is gradually lifting the lockdown to bring back the people to their normal lives. It has been months of horror for them, left behind by their loved ones, all because of an unknown evil.
Italy’s response to the coronavirus is now moving into a new phase. It is about the mental health of the survivors. Since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak in Italy, mental health had been highlighted as a parallel and related emergency.
“When Covid patients enter the hospital, they think it’s the beginning of the end”
– Psychologist Tommaso Speranza.
COVID-19; An incurable virus with the potential to cause a lot of damage to humans. The fear of death is common to mankind. Mental health is highly affected because COVID-19 patients are kept isolated for treatment. At first, due to the magnitude of the death count, patients feared to enter hospitals. It must be tough to feel that the hospital is no more a safe place for the sick. They had already given up mentally before the real fight had even begun. COVID-19 patients never get to see their loved ones until they recover 100%. It is not hard to comprehend that the patients go through a lot, staying away from their loved ones and battling against the incurable deadly virus all alone. It is emotionally exhausting.
Psychologists work hard with patients to maintain their mental health. Patients don’t have to be urgently admitted to the ICUs. They first undergo a therapy session which helps them confront their fear. Psychologists try to transform patients’ fear into hope, telling them they’re not alone, and encouraging them to trust the staff at the hospital: creating a positive image of the hospital staff and doctors who will do whatever they can to save the patients’ lives. It is a difficult task to turn negative mindsets into positive ones, ensuring patients to have faith. Alongside doctors and nurses, psychologists too are heroes at the frontlines, battling to save people against the COVID-19 threat in Italy.
“Sometimes the family is suffering more than the patient. We call to give them news and put them in touch by video-calls with their loved ones, if possible. We become their best friends.”
– Psychologists in Italy
Today, fear of dying, anxiety, depression, anger, panic attacks, insomnia, and survivor’s guilt – all known to affect survivors of natural disasters and war – have emerged as common symptoms. Not only patients, their families and the survivors, but also the general public suffer from mental health issues due to the consistent lockdown that prevailed for months. Though the country has started to gradually ease the lockdown, not everyone has been so eager to get back to their old lives. Their lives would never be the same.
The government will continue to enforce social distancing guidelines, and individuals will still be required to carry documentation stating why they’re out of their homes. Most people will leave for their jobs but people whose jobs revolve around tourism will suffer, until the world becomes a safer place to travel.
The Colosseum in Rome with no tourists and the Venetian canals with no gondolas will stay in the minds of the Italians forever, as will the pictures of the army trucks taking away hundreds of dead bodies in the Northern Italian town of Bergamo. Italy was one of the most visited countries by tourists. However coping with COVID-19 for Italy has been one tall mountain to climb. The image that will likely be the most impossible to delete from memory for Italians, would be the one of Pope Francis praying on his own in an empty Saint Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday.
Facing such a dramatic death toll with so many people dealing with grief, being positive, and fighting for a better future will be tough. The government of Italy has launched an emergency helpline providing psychological crisis support. During the self-isolation period, people used to sing songs together in their balconies. That has given them positive energy to fight against the negative threats looming over their mental health. Their national anthem carries a strong message; together they sing aloud bringing themselves positive energy.
The last lines of their anthem say;
“Stringiamci a coorte
(Let’s huddle together)
Siam pronti alla morte
(We are ready to die)”
In history, Italy has gone through a lot of hardships. The unity of their strong cultural people has seen Italy successfully pass through and overcome tough times to witness better days. They have made Italy a great nation in Europe. They will make their way through this long, dark tunnel and rise again.
-Written by Rtr. Sahan Chandula-
Image credits:
Featured image: https://images.app.goo.gl/tGqy4KRiR8D3TMoZ9
Image 1: https://cutt.ly/JyDEU0E
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References: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52491203
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