Darshana Baruah
(The writer is a Psychologist. She can be reached hi.darsh0099@gmail.com)
Human beings evolved to feel safest in groups, and as a result, we experience isolation as a physical state of emergency. The importance of social interaction has been conditioned in our nervous system for thousands of years, so that the absence of such a protective force produces a stress state in the body. “Loneliness causes stress, and long-term or chronic stress leads to more frequent elevations of a key stress hormone, cortisol. It is also linked to higher levels of inflammation in the body. This in turn damages blood vessels and other tissues, increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, joint disease, depression, obesity, and premature death (Klein, Mar 12, 2020).
In January 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of a new corona virus disease to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. WHO stated there is a high risk of the 2019 corona virus disease (COVID-19) spreading to other countries around the world. In March 2020, WHO made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic. However, this time of crisis is generating stress in the population. WHO is targeting different groups to ensure and support mental and psychosocial well-being during COVID-19 outbreak. The world population is now part of a global “social distancing” movement to minimize the spread of this pandemic. This isolating experience will surely bring, to slow the spread of corona virus during this pandemic. During which we would experience an array of feelings and emotions. (Organization, 18 March 2020 )
The world population is now part of and isolating a global distance trend to minimize the spread of this virus during this pandemic. This is the period where we would experience an array of feelings and emotions, sort of restlessness, feeling of hopelessness and most commonly loneliness.
Now the question arises how to deal with such feelings and emotions and feel okay?
These are natural human emotions and it is absolutely okay to feel that way. But when you start experiencing it chronically, which is what starts to happen with the sense of isolation, that’s when it will begin to have consequences. If you are feeling lonely, sad or anxious it affects your serotonin and dopamine activation and will make you feel weak, probably anxious or depressed.
If you have journaled before, great. If you haven’t, then the time to start is now. It will be fascinating to look back retroactively to how you felt throughout virus pandemic. Take the time to just sit down, and ask yourself:
How I have been feeling? What is my thought process like? What am I doing to handle this?
Focusing on appreciation is another great encouragement to journaling. It’s too easy for us to get wrapped up in what we no longer have or what we are missing and its okay to write down that. But remembering the things you are particularly thankful for can also be extremely helpful. This conscious effort of appreciating the goodness will possibly boost your happiness and foster both psychological and physical health.
It is useful to have a fixed daily schedule in the time of confusion and anxiety to maintain the consistency in life. This will not only help us in keeping a track of time but also helps in realizing the fact that how fruitfully and productively we can utilize and plan our day in quarantine period. Keeping a slot in the schedule for self care and time to relax is equally important. For people worrying about money or searching for a job, might think the need to relax or taking out time for oneself is not important. But if they don’t take out time to relax and reflect, they won’t be in a better position to be creative, to work out the finances or find any solutions. You need to take out time for yourself, no matter what socioeconomic or pandemic condition you are in.
Being comfortable by yourself is hard, especially during this pandemic—but there are ways to make it feel a little easier. It can be even more difficult if you’re doing it alone, especially if you wish you weren’t. Humans ultimately need some social connection. “One of the biggest risks, particularly at a time like this, there’s a tendency to get lost in negative thinking.” (Markman, March 18, 2020). The goal of social distancing these days is to be separated, but not lonely. Here are some ways to do it. Contact others face-to-face keep a good connection with them; share your feelings, emotions and also how you have been spending your quarantine time. This in one way will let you feel that you aren’t the only one facing or going through such difficulties. Secondly it will also help you understand that yes there are people to listen to me. So reach out to every possible person, leave a text message or call them up. (Markman, March 18, 2020)
Firstly, give your mind a space to think, process the information and then reflect. By doing that, you will be able to understand and realize the kind of thoughts that is running in your mind and also for you to feel and acknowledge certain feelings and emotions.
To maintain a good balance between mind and body, some form of exercise is needed. Yoga increases consciousness of the body, relieves stress, decreases pain in muscle, strain and inflammation, increases focus and concentration, and calms the nervous system and centres. Using your time to do home exercises, yoga or meditation during this quarantine phase will surely help.
A break is what we always look for and now when time is in abundance, utilize it in getting into long lost list of hobbies and doing something fruitful, productive and also at the same time out of the box.
How many times have we got the chance or time to sit in the sun and enjoy the chirping of the birds? Go out, sit in the sun and enjoy the nature as this acts as the mood-boosting vitamin D which is extremely therapeutic. It does create a soothing effect on our mind. So try experiencing everything around you mindfully and you will realize that spring is still coming to fruition which is like beautiful.
These are the few steps to bring you back to the moment and help you remember that no emotion is ever permanent. This feeling will surely pass.
So stay positive, happy, and safe and take care of your mental health.
Bibliography
Klein, E. (Mar 12, 2020). Coronavirus will also cause a loneliness epidemic. Markman.
(March 18, 2020). How to Make Sure Social Distancing and Self-Isolation Don’t Hurt Your Mental Health.
Organization, W. H. (18 March 2020 ). Mental health and psychosocial considerations during the pandemic.
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