What corona and the lockdown are doing to our psyche!
And what the solution could be...
What happens in times like the coronavirus pandemic? You are thrown back on yourself. This is a situation that most people find very difficult to deal with. After all, it is much easier not to have to deal with yourself. But the fact is, you are not alone with these problems. Whether in a relationship or not, in shared apartments, in families, everyone is currently confronted with these issues in their own way. It is a time that brings a lot of uncertainty. And it harbors many "dangers." Because when old structures or habits break down, it is not a pleasant state of affairs for creatures of habit like humans.
The disappearance of old habits
Given that old habits are disappearing and people are being forced to rely on themselves, this state of affairs is not surprising. Normally, people are very involved in their everyday lives. They have their social contacts, they go about their daily work, for which they usually leave the house in the morning and return in the afternoon or evening. In between, you have countless personal social contacts and you strive to cope with everyday life, which many people now find hectic and stressful. And what is happening now in the age of coronavirus?
The breakdown of familiar structures
In addition to the breakdown of familiar structures in our work and private lives, there are a number of other things we are suddenly confronted with. During the first lockdown in particular, many people probably experienced a feeling of total deceleration in the first two weeks. This time was used to take a breather from the otherwise stressful everyday life. This period was perfectly fine and perhaps reminiscent of a vacation. But even after a vacation, there comes a point when you look forward to returning to your normal everyday life, where everything takes its usual course. However, that did not happen. What happened instead? The ongoing closure of cultural institutions, restrictions on social contact, short-time working, and, in particular, working from home became the new everyday life for many.
Blurring of all areas of life
All areas of life became intertwined. It became difficult to separate work and private life. Those who live alone experienced a challenging period of loneliness. Families and partners began to feel cooped up, and no one knew where to turn. This made it practically impossible to maintain a clear separation between the different areas of life. It's good that we have social media to keep us occupied these days. Or is it not so good? Once you start a search query, it is stored in the algorithm. What does that mean? If I only search for coronavirus news, that's all I'll see. If I only search for beauty or fitness, I get the full load of beauty and fitness presented to me by a wide variety of influencers. And all this in high gloss, while I lie on the couch and enjoy countless sweets and fast food.
Social comparisons
We tend to make social comparisons. Everyone reading this knows that this happens. So while we lounge on the sofa like beached whales and look at the beauties of this world, we look down at ourselves and realize that we can't compete with them. Reality hits us right in the face!
Reality check – hello depression
Reality check complete. For years, we've been going through our hectic everyday lives with rose-colored glasses on, not forced to deal with ourselves. And then suddenly a virus comes along and turns our entire life upside down. The reality we had built up and lived with for years begins to crumble. And suddenly we are left completely on our own, facing reality head-on. We begin to question ourselves, our work, our private lives, etc. And what happens? We become increasingly dissatisfied and depressive episodes set in. All structures are gone and we wonder how we are supposed to go on.
Suddenly, we are confronted with so many problems, e.g.:
- Depressive episodes (lack of motivation)
- Self-doubt
- Lack of structure
- Lack of perspective
- Sleep problems
- Psychosomatic complaints.
Breaking the vicious circle
We quickly find ourselves in a vicious circle and can no longer see a way out. At this point, it should be said that everyone is currently struggling with this in their own way. Some are affected more, others less. This varies from person to person and depends, among other things, on our own resources. Do we see a crisis as a crisis, or do we see it as a challenge and try to make the best of it? Our approach and our way of thinking can have a strong influence on how we develop and what we can potentially gain from it.
Solution: Structures and tasks
So it is primarily up to us what we make of the current crisis. But what solutions are there? There is no blanket answer to this question, as there are simply too many interindividual differences. However, something that everyone should try to do at the moment is to rediscover structures and perhaps also seek new tasks and goals. There are many essential things we can focus on during this time. Starting with healthy eating and exercise, which can increase our well-being in the long term.
Staying physically and mentally healthy during lockdown
If you are having difficulty implementing this, I recommend focusing on new goals. In addition to counseling and coaching services that can bring you closer to your goals, you can also work on integrating a healthier diet into your everyday life. This will help you get through the next few months in good physical and mental health and give you something to fall back on even after the lockdown is over. Focusing on new goals will only increase your motivation and benefit you in the long term.