After hectic duty hours, doctors get creative to de-stress themselves

By Aiman Khan
New Delhi [India], April 14 (ANI): With the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases, doctors across the country are also faced with immense stress. However, Resident Doctors (RDs) at the city's famous AIIMS have found their own ways to release stress. They engage themselves in activities like painting, composing poems and training healthcare workers to keep their spirit high.
Healthcare workers and doctors, who are working at the frontline to battle COVID-19 war, are working extra hours to save India from the pandemic.
Dr Shayan, who is posted at COVID-ICU, Trauma Centre, AIIMS, expressed the difficulties the doctors have to go through in the unit while they wear PPE suits. He said how he is able to cope with the stressful environment after his duty hours.
"Initially it took a lot of time to construct the ICU. We envisioned that there might be a time in the near future when more and more doctors from other departments need to be posted in ICU. Initially, we spent a lot of time training other doctors. That took a lot of time. We are working day in and out now," Dr Shayan told ANI.
"Stress here is immense. Working in the PPE suit for six to seven hours is a very difficult task. You cannot breathe properly and start feeling breathless. You cannot communicate with other doctors. You have to literally shout to convey a message," he added.
Once the doctors return to their hostel, it is a good opportunity for all the health care workers to engage their time in certain activities that can reduce their stress. This is not a privilege for anyone but rather it is a necessity, added Dr Shayan.
"I paint a lot. I have been doing it since childhood. I also play a few musical instruments and listen to music. Simultaneously we have to study as well," said Dr Shayan.
The first painting he drew amid this crisis was about the "fear of corona."
"The next sketch which I made when the news of many healthcare workers who died from corona came from across the world. Most of those people died of PPEs, which shook me really hard. So it was about the difference between reality and fiction, (the god of medicine) who is blessing us and the lower image is a healthcare worker who is covered in full PPE suit while carrying the body of his co-worker," he added.
Speaking to ANI, Dr Amandeep Singh, Senior Resident, Department of Medicine, AIIMS, said that currently, the stress among the doctors has increased due to the COVID-19 crisis. So after his duty hours, they engage themselves in extra co-curricular activities.
"After our duty, we do extracurricular activities like I write poetry. I have written a poem about Indian citizens amid the corona crisis," he added.
Dr Singh recited a few lines of the poem which he has written in Hindi:
"Humne bhi thaani hai karke dikhaenge,
Humne bhi thaani hai krke dikhaenge
Corona ki mahamari se desh ko bchaenge
Humne bhi thaani hai krke dikhaenge
Shatru hai naya, hum to purane hain
Shatru hai naya, hum toh purane hain."
The rough translation of the stanza states -- "We are determined to show it. We will save the country from the coronavirus pandemic. We are determined to show -- the enemy is new but we are old."
He also conveyed a message to maintain hygiene, wash hands and stay at home till May 3.
"Several doctors do paintings. Some do cycling at night. Earlier we used to celebrate birthdays together in the hostel but now we are maintaining social distancing," said Dr Singh.
Dr Ajeet Singh, also a Senior Resident, told ANI that doctors here are finding their own ways to release stress amid the crisis.
"I am a social person. I like to meet friends and hang out with them but now that we cannot do it, we are trying to run social programs to train health workers, guards, etc., to maintain hygiene. We are running programmes to spread awareness. In my daily routine, I train these people," said Dr Ajeet. (ANI)