We are in our eighth week of quarantine, still at home, still in uncertainty, still wondering when and how this will end. Some of us might even experience negative consequences of the lockdown in the form of fear, anger, intrusive thoughts, distress, lack of motivation, among others.
Psychological Consequences of Quarantine
As concluded in the research by Brooks et al. (2020), some of the main stress factors for people these days are the extended duration of the Coronavirus quarantine, fear of infection, frustration, boredom, inadequate information, insufficient access to supplies, financial losses, and stigma.
Tips for Coping with Confinement
To combat these symptoms, researchers and professionals suggest applying some of the following tips.
Stay in Touch
Staying active on social media can contribute to a sense of normalcy and offers a way to escape to share feelings and relieve stress. To stay healthy and happy, it is vitally important to have a social support network. This can include family, friends, co-workers, or anyone with whom we can connect and maintain social activities. Why not send a message to that friend we made on an epic vacation but haven’t spoken to lately? Or a game night with friends on a group video call?
Filter Your Information About the Coronavirus
Updating information a few times a day is enough, as an overdose of information actually makes us feel more confused and know less. The rule here is to protect yourself from excessively checking Covid-19 news and thus stay calmer.
Channel Your Energy During Quarantine
Try to transform the energy spent searching for news and watching, listening to, or reading about the Coronavirus into something positive. Instead of letting a feeling of helplessness overcome you, ask yourself what is in your control, what can I do now? And what is keeping me from doing it?
Stay Active, Establish Routines
What are routines and why change out of pajamas if you work remotely? Humans naturally struggle with unforeseen events in our lives, and in this period of uncertainty, routine helps bring predictability and shape to our days, as well as discouraging helplessness by planning activities, routines, and bringing structure to the day. By doing so, we provide ourselves with stability and security. What’s on the list? Physical exercise, personal hygiene, scheduled meals, meditation, hobbies, and other regular activities contribute to structuring this new and unclear situation.
Stay Calm and Relieve Your Pain
It is widely demonstrated that meditation and mindfulness exercises can help reduce symptoms of anxiety, stress, and worrying thoughts and can promote empathy, calm, and well-being.
Attitude in Confinement is Everything
Our attitude makes us react more or less appropriately to adverse situations and makes us stronger or weaker, so start working on your positivity and set aside prejudices!
Become a Master of Your Thoughts During Quarantine
It’s fair, taking control of worrying thoughts is a skill that requires time and practice, but that’s why we’re here to help.
- Intrusive Thoughts: The next time intrusive thoughts creep into your consciousness, postpone them to a specific time when you allow yourself to worry about the topic, preferably not at night). When worries arise outside of this time, tell yourself “This thought is for my worry time, not now”. The more you repeat it, the more automatic the process will be. Don’t get upset if worries appear repeatedly, just tell yourself you’ll deal with them during your worry time.
- Conflict at Home: A similar technique can be used for arguments that may arise from spending more time than usual with the people we share our homes with. If you constantly find yourself in arguments, I suggest the option of planning your discussions properly: set a time for conflicts and that is the ONLY time of day when you can talk.
- Boredom: A little boredom is healthy for all of us. It gives us the opportunity to reflect on the things we have been doing, project things we could do, and create new habits or activities to avoid boredom.
During Confinement, Sharing is Caring
Sometimes it’s hard to see the point in the restrictions being applied during this Coronavirus crisis. At these times, it’s important to remember that you are providing a service to society and preventing yourself and others from getting sick. This time, the problem is a global problem easy for everyone to see, and everyone will be affected to a greater or lesser extent. And even if it brings with it social distancing measures, there is also the part of coming together. The Coronavirus and its secondary results are global challenges that give us the opportunity to reconnect and think about alternative solutions to those we already have but that lost their functionality today, let’s gather ideas. Since we are in this together, let’s get out of this together too!
Support Your Friends and Community During Quarantine
We all know someone or are even this person who experiences overwhelming nervousness, persistent sadness, or other prolonged reactions that negatively affect daily performance or interpersonal relationships. In this case, it is important to encourage and consult with a trained and knowledgeable mental health professional.
Finally, a recommendation for moms and dads is that it is very important to talk about Coronavirus news coverage with honest and age-appropriate information. Parents can help alleviate distress in children by focusing on routines and schedules.
It is important to remember that boys and girls constantly observe their parents’ behaviors and emotions, looking for clues on how to manage their own feelings. There has been enough distress for everyone over the past few weeks and new challenges that we all have to face. This also applies to virtual classrooms. There is no need to push to finish all school activities; children will learn the things they need even if they miss math classes for a week. Instead, make sure they stay healthy and happy, and have enough playtime.