In the past few weeks, we have witnessed the Coronavirus pandemics and the health systems worldwide have suffered from a serious shock. Even though a certain level of anxiety in such extraordinary circumstances is completely normal, it is extremely important both for us and our community, what we do to stabilize ourselves and channel anxiety into precautions that should be taken for our own safety and the safety of others. In this text, we will outline some psychological effects of the current pandemics that we might experience and certain measures that we as individuals can take to preserve our own and the mental health of our close ones.
Overcoming the fear of the unknown and threatening
One of the main differences in experiencing a seasonal flu and the Coronavirus is that we perceive the former as a virus that we are well familiar with. We know its diagnostic criteria and symptoms, how it is transmitted, how to treat it, who to turn to and what to expect. We currently perceive the Coronavirus as something unknown and threatening, which contributes to experiencing the unpredictability of the situation with the accompanying feelings of anxiety, fear, increased alertness and tension. These feelings can be especially pronounced in people who already find it hard to tolerate uncertainty.
One of the main ways to make a situation more certain and less unpredictable is to find reliable sources of information which will improve the clarity of the situation. At the end of this text, you can find the links to reliable resources known to us and which collect verified and updated information which can serve as guidelines.
Overcoming the fear of uncertainty
Even though the knowledge that we have about the Coronavirus has increased every day, the ability of experts to accurately predict the course of the pandemics and its plateau at the moment is not considerable which can further increase anxiety.
You may notice that these days you are prone to catastrophizing and thinking through different scenarios which could be dangerous for you or your loved ones. One of the common side effects of anxiety is our mind’s attempt to prepare us for the worst-case scenario so that we would try to regain a sense of control (“if I’m ready for the worst-case scenario, then I’m ready for anything” by logic).
Since our mental health also extremely affects our physical well-being, we recommend that you try to soothe your anxious thoughts in some of the following ways:
· by asking for support from the close people or a psychotherapist (currently it
can be via audio or video call; many therapists will offer this themselves);
· by practising relaxation or stabilization techniques (breathing exercises,
grounding exercises)
· by meditation or exercises that can help you let go off the certain thought if you
think that these thoughts additionally increase your tension level,
· by creating your own collection of available resources (human, informative,
health etc.).
Ask yourself a question: “What is currently under my control and what brings back the feeling of control?” When answering this question, try to reflect on how you feel while you are answering it and how you breathe. Try to notice if these answers calm you down. If not, check your doubts with someone you are close with. Finally, try to think of uncertainty as a part of your life which you share with the rest of humanity and not as an enemy which should be eliminated.
Adequate estimation of danger
The Coronavirus can be dangerous, and current data on the death rate range between 1.4 and 2.3 %. This is a good enough reason for taking rational precautions to protect yourself and others. However, these data can be confusing when we try to estimate the danger of a situation, so we can take action in two directions:
1. to overestimate the level of danger and threat and to be overwhelmed by the
feeling of imminent danger and panic,
2. to feel the need to minimize the feeling of imminent danger (as a type of
psychological defence) and thereby to develop an indifferent attitude towards
the situation.
Both approaches can make taking adequate precautions more difficult – the first by overestimating and the second by underestimating the threat. If you notice that your reactions can be put in any of these categories, you should ask yourself the following questions:
· What can be the cause of my overwhelming panic in this crisis? Does it remind
me of anything? What would help me feel less overwhelmed?
· Why is it important to me not to deal with this topic? Does it usually happen to
me that I do not think of the risk my behaviour can have on me and others?
What would help me to better see the potential consequences and regain the
feeling of care for myself and others?
Adequate estimation of one’s own capacities for precautions
In addition to the adequate estimation of the level of danger, adequate estimation of one’s own capacity to protect themselves is very important. Psychological research shows that people tend to overestimate the effect negative events will have on them and at the same time they underestimate how successful they will be in dealing with such events. Therefore, you should have in mind that you are more psychologically resilient than you think you are.
Among the resources listed at the end of this text you can find websites with a detailed description of practical health precautions. You should check with yourself how you perceive them and how you feel about the prescribed precautions. If you notice that you have an emotional reaction to any of the precautions (resistance, anger, fear or anxiety etc.) talk to a person you trust or a psychotherapist. The majority of precautions have been prescribed to put under control the spread of the Coronavirus as soon as possible, but it can happen that some of the precautions have a specific meaning to you and that is why it is worth investigating what that is all about.
For now, the only reliable way not to become infected and not to spread the infection is to isolate yourself, if possible, inside your house. This situation can be an opportunity to better understand the feelings of solitude and loneliness. We can discover whether the time spent alone can be a quality time with oneself.
Balance the amount of time you spend thinking/talking about this subject
Following news on the topic of the Coronavirus, even though it is inevitable to a certain extent, requires certain time and attention. Constant dealing with this topic can in some cases become a fixation or preoccupation with the research on the topic. Titles in the media and content on social networks can additionally contribute to that as well as the impression that different life routines and plans have been changing daily. In some cases, we can have the impression that our life has been paused until further notice. Simultaneously, you have probably already noticed that many supermarkets have run out of goods which contributes to the massive feeling of panic and it is reminiscent of some previous social crises such as the war.
If you notice that the information about the Coronavirus psychologically overburden you, try some of the following:
· Avoid consuming information right after you wake up and just before you go to
bed as at that time we are most prone to becoming emotionally involved in the
topic. Instead of that, try to make the following questions part of your morning
routine: “What can I do today to preserve my own well-being?”, or your bedtime
routine: “With which thoughts (of gratitude or hope, for example) would I like to go to
sleep tonight?
· During the day limit the time for dealing with this topic (whether you consume
content or discuss it with people). If it is necessary – mute specific notifications.
It is good to be reminded that there is life outside the fence of a crisis.
· Finally, determine the time during which you are not dealing with this topic but
you are exclusively doing what you like. This can be particularly important if you
have to be in isolation or you have chosen it as a method of protection.
If you have someone who needs additional support on the topic
If you have someone who needs additional support in view of lowering anxiety or help to understand their own neglecting of potential danger, you should offer them some of the techniques we described above. As solidarity is one of the key factors in crisis interventions, you should be there for others, if possible, especially for:
· The elderly: If any of the older family members have problems understanding
any information related to the Coronavirus, help them by making the
information simpler and providing clear guidance in actions.
· Children and teenagers: Explain your children how important it is that they
practice certain habits to protect themselves and others from being infected. If
your child expresses certain emotional reactions to the topic, name it and talk about it. Try to be patient with all their questions.
· People who suffer from anxiety: If you have someone who is prone to worry or
panic, you should have in mind that they can be destabilized by this situation.
Try to make them to tell you how they are feeling, be compassionate and offer
them some of the resources that we mention here.
· People who suffered crises (bombing, war): Current situation can be particularly
stressful, even retraumatizing for someone who has already experienced a
massive tragedy or quarantine. In that case, try to make these people aware of the differences between the current situation and the situation that happened in the past in order to help them become emotionally distant from the traumatising memories.
· People for whom the strategy of self-isolating is not a safe option: Since for
many people staying at home is not an encouraging option in this situation, we
are encouraging you to look for free hotlines for family violence victims where
one can get advice and legal information.
Original (in Serbian language) published on psychology blog Psihobrlog