The Psychological and Behavioral Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Ways to Cope With Them

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and the life after the outbreak introduced numerous changes and uncertainties that led to elevated stress levels in the societies and caused the emergence of various psychological responses for people of all ages to deal with this unprecedented transformation. Throughout this period, the children and adolescents were mostly influenced by being away from school and their peers while the adults had to struggle with the economic crisis and the increased workload both at home and at work. The older adults, on the other hand, had to contend with loneliness, feeling useless, and ageism. In this chapter, considering different age groups, how people are affected by the pandemic-related changes and their common psychological and behavioral responses and coping strategies will be presented. Some recommendations and common solutions to adapt to the “new normal” brought by the pandemic will be also emphasized separately for each age group.