The preventable tsunami: Experts’ discourses on the mental health crisis-to-come in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic

2020. No. 2.11.

Rekhis M.

While most knowledge produced by medical experts during the COVID-19 pandemic was related to protecting oneself from catching the virus, a smaller number of experts insisted on the importance of caring for one’s mental health. In this paper we focus on this second discourse.Highlighting the mental health implications of the current pandemic, the discourse of mental health experts predicted a mental health crisis-to-come, unprecedented in its consequences, and accordingly they called for preventive actions from both populations and governments. This discourse produces two subjectivities: the vulnerable subjectivity – framing people as stressed, anxious, and in need of building solidarity – and the responsible subjectivity – calling for the management of information space, taking care of one’s mental health and supporting others. Importantly, this discourse brings to the fore the global trauma and psychological suffering resulting from the corona crisis, which have long been neglected; a suffering which is socially unacceptable and, most importantly, preventable.  

Keywords: экспертное знание, дискурс, subjectivity, субъектность, травма, discourse, trauma, ментальное здоровье, mental health, expert knowledge, COVID-19, COVID-19