Women's mental health in times of COVID-19

Abstract

Approximately nine months ago, the world population began to have negative experiences regarding to the spread of a respiratory virus, called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This virus is the etiological agent of COVID-19, a disease considered responsible for one of the worst outbreaks experienced by humanity. 1 Not long ago, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the most diverse social strata in Brazil, which was the first country in Latin America with reported case. 1 Due to the severe transmissibility, morbidity and mortality associated with the scarcity of knowledge about the pathogenesis of the virus and of the effective treatments, preventive measures and recommendations were installed to contain the spread of the disease. 2 The restriction of social coexistence, represented by social distancing, the mandatory use of masks and frequent hand washing, were some of the tools used, varying in intensity according to the health policies of each government. 1 In this context of social mitigation, feelings of fear and anguish resulting from the pandemic are afflicted and, connected to the yearning for a possible infection, becoming triggers for clinical manifestations of psychopathologies. Thus, one can consider that mental disorders and social distancing have a twoway cause and effect relationship.