The worldwide impact of COVID-19’s spread media coverage, it has amplified the psychological and social consequences of the disease, resulting in widely-read anxiety. Although there has been a significant amount of research on the psychological impacts of COVID-19, its longer-term impacts on mental health remain mostly unknown. This study aims to create and confirm the Post-Pandemic Fear of Viral Disease (PPFVD) scale, and to determine its relation to general anxiety disorders among Pakistani people. Pakistani population.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey on the internet was conducted with 457 participants between August between August and September 2022. We used the scale modified for fear of coronavirus (FCV-19 S) comprising seven items as well as the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) questionnaire to assess anxiety disorders. A confirmatory analysis of factors was used by using the estimation method of maximum likelihood. Scale dimensions as well as item reliability were examined for validity and their adequacy of fit. SPSS along with AMOS were utilized for data management and analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to numerous social challenges and disruptions, which are expected to continue for a number of years. Although the huge (financial) cost of the disease will only be discovered after the fact COVID-19 brought about constant changes in the lives of people at individual, regional, as well as global scales. Many lost their lives or the lives of loved ones. many lost their jobs or business, and others were unable to afford their food because of the steady decline in the world economy. All businesses were impacted by an irreparable loss. The economic downturn affected all areas of life and destroyed intimate relationships and family life. These challenges could be a result of psychological stress [44. The individuals were in extreme psychological stress that resulted in the development of anxiety.

The people showed fear of the virus, however, they also feared touching surfaces, other people or objects [11The fear of touching other people, surfaces or objects [11. Fear is a resentful emotion that is experienced when faced with threat and is usually caused by emotional distress or behavior avoidance. Like every other event that affects our senses and occurs within the context of our the present, we react to fear by imagining it, and randomly linking it to other things and events using verbal connections [1212. Humans are able to react in a cognitive way to all events that are known. So, pandemics aren’t just biological ailments that are confined to health professionals. They also affect people and society in general through symbolic interactions. It is not just the perception of a potentially dangerous situation, but rather the way in which we view our feelings of inability to defend ourselves against threats. As per Porcelli [13the fear of being afraid is an amalgamation of incompetence that is subjective ( “I am not able to cope with it.”), despair ( “I can do nothing about it.”) and despair ( “No one can help me.”) Catastrophizing ( “Imminent death is coming closer.”).

The research conducted in the past has demonstrated the rise in fear, as one psychological reactions to the pandemic on one hand and its consequences for mental health morbidity, comorbidity, and mental health on the other. Understanding the feeling of fear that is that is associated with COVID-19 might be a significant clinical and societal consequences as well as after the outbreak [1414. In order to comprehend the likely fallouts from COVID-19, specifically the long-term effects of the pandemic on well-being and mental health of our generation, we need to be considered on. Understanding the dynamism of post-pandemic risk factors is crucial for therapeutic interventions and policy makers [1616.