COVID-19 Restrictions-Related Mental Health Challenges and Associated Public Health Preventive Strategies Via a Critical Evolutionary Mismatch Perspective

The disturbingly extensive spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is currently a grave cause for global concern. (Re-)enforcing/advocating social and movement restrictions are part of the core repertoire of tactics numerous countries have adopted in dealing with this pandemic. While arguably essential courses of action, prolonged restriction measures could nevertheless cause individuals to be excessively exposed to a host of evolutionarily-unnatural conditions that might render them more susceptible to experiencing psychological problems. A selection of key public health preventive strategies, founded on the framework of evolutionary mismatch (which can be regarded as a form of critical approach as well), including 1) the facilitation of technology use to maintain social contact with kin and close friends; 2) encouraging the enhancement of natural stimuli in people’s homes; 3) and curtailing individuals’ exposure to overwhelming amount of COVID-19 information; and 4) educating on and supporting the beneficial engagement with evolutionarily-familiar stress coping methods, is proposed to be effective in counteracting mental health challenges among individuals in such circumstances.