Abstract

Mental illness amounts to one-sixth of all health-related problems and it’s a worldwide concern. The emotional, psychological, and social well-being of a person reflects his state of mental health. According to the research reports, 20 percent of the Indian population suffers from some sort of mental disorder. Epidemics and Pandemics disrupt personal and professional lives severely and affect people and societies on several levels. The key strategies promoted for containment of an outbreak of this nature are isolation and physical distancing-both can have significant impacts on our life and relationships. A mental health institute at the Second Xiangya Hospital in Hunan, China followed a protocol for ensuring the quality of life of those in isolation. The steps were simple – daily digital communication with their closed ones, group counseling, catering to individual dietary needs, comfort and leisure, continuation of job-related activities and updates on the outbreak condition. Weekly supportive psychotherapy sessions and periodic hygienic measures were ensured for healthy living. These helped preserve the dignity of those in isolation and their compliance to restrictive protocols.