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As there are now more than one million confirmed cases with COVID-19 and 51,400 deaths worldwide (Guardian, Fri 3 April 2020) the world holds its breath. The following are some reflections of the impact that these numbers have on our psychological wellbeing. Included are also suggestions on how one can be proactive as opposed to being reactive in this situation of collective trauma.

It seems that time has stopped in a blink of an eye. Three weeks from now we were living another reality. Like a switch went off and the world stood still. The fast pace of economic development ground to a near halt and it all went quiet. Now, one day merges into another without distinctions that mark it as a holiday or a weekday. There is little point in wearing a watch. Our perception of time has become blurry and stretched out. Our old life was led by time with its myriad amount of responsibilities, events and activities. It was always a race to the finish line in the shape of the weekend, the holiday, the exams, the end of another profitable day.

The new life required a ceasefire. We have now joined the elderly in their retirement where time stands still; where their finish line comes in the shape of a gradual acceptance of their own mortality. They have time to come to this acceptance – a slow process of psychological reconciliation with the reality of death. Instead, we were forced to look at this harsh reality in an instant. We were shown videos of people struggling to breathe and military trucks carrying the dead in a funeral procession in droves in the dead of night. We had to take a hard look at this reality without having the benefit of the process that the elderly experience. Our lives and those of our loved ones are now threatened.

This reality has a number of psychological impact on all of us, whether we like it or not; whether we are prepared for it or not. As we become immersed in this collective consciousness of threat, we absorb the effect of trauma. The initial reactions are those of coping mechanisms such as denial (this is just another kind of flu / this is a problem of the Chinese) and panic (bulk buying of grocery supplies). At this point in time we can take a step back and reflect on how to adjust well to this new norm of social isolation and threat to life and lifestyle.

In the face of this present reality there are three psychological factors to consider, namely:

• The emotion of fear and the psychological state of anxiety;
• The feeling of helplessness;
• The feeling of uncertainty.

 

Fear and Anxiety

Fear is a natural emotion and is a response to threat to one’s life or to those we hold dear. It is a survival emotion as when we feel fear, we become active to preserve ourselves from what we perceive to be dangerous to our wellbeing. The part of our brain that is activated (the amygdala) sends messages to our body to react (to fight, to flee, to freeze) in order to guarantee survival in that situation. Fear has allowed our and other animal species to survive dangerous and life-threatening situations.

Anxiety, on the other hand, is a state of being. It is not an immediate response to what is happening at that moment in time but a prolonged sense of dread and dull fear. It is experienced in the body (lump in throat; a heavy ball in the pit of one’s stomach; racing heart and sweaty palms), in our thinking (negative thinking patterns, lack of concentration, catastrophic expectations) and our mood (irritability, heightened emotions). As a result, our behaviour changes and consequently, our relationships suffer.

How do we handle this state of being in a healthy way?

• Identify the physical signs of anxiety. Your brain can give you many explanations but your body never lies. Trust your physical symptoms. Feel the palpitations, the shortness of breath, the lump in your throat or stomach and trust them.
• Acknowledge these signs and name them: “I am feeling anxious at this present moment”
  Naming the signs gives you a sense of clarity.
• Allow yourself to experience without attempting to distract yourself or step out from this painful feeling. Be present with your dull sense of fear. As you acknowledge and be present to your experience you will notice that it will start to ease. Take some deep breathes and observe this experience. The more present you are the faster it will ebb away. Presence is the antidote to anxiety.

 

Feeling of Helplessness

This pandemic has given rise to a deep sense of helplessness. We have been forced to close our businesses, stay in our homes indefinitely, close our schools and practise social distancing. One of the psychological effects of these changes is to the sense of not having control over one’s life – to lose one’s sense of internal locus of control. Much has been written about this. We have been advised to create routines and to focus on what we have control over. This is good advice.

• By now you must have established a daily routine that incorporates the various aspects of your life. Stick to that routine and revise it according to what works for you and the ones you live with. Be structured and productive as you set yourself achievable goals which will give you a sense of control and satisfaction.
• As you establish a new norm of the various activities, make sure that you incorporate time for self-care. Be aware of what calms you down and what is nourishing for you and make sure that this is reflected in your routine.
• Lastly, avoid making yourself into a project. Do not raise too high expectations for yourself.
  Be gentle with yourself – these are difficult times.

 

Feeling of uncertainty

Questions that many of my clients are asking include: “How long is this going to last?”; “How will our lives change as a result of this pandemic?” and many more. This not-knowing aspect can be very difficult to handle. Situations such as separated loved ones; persons stuck in other countries; loss of income due to businesses shutting down; and others pose special difficulties and create a deep sense of unease. What can we say in the face of these difficult situations? 

• Certainty is a false construct. We create certainty to build our lives but in reality, life is what is happening now not what we plan it to be. Learning to live with uncertainty gives us the opportunity to understand that all we can do is to live the present well.
• This is where creativity lies. As we see people all over the world becoming creative in their adjustment to this pandemic threat, we become inspired and uplifted. We saw Italians singing in balconies – a mark to the resilience of this nation and their creative genius.
• Creative adjustment to a changing environment is the mark of our success as a species. Ask yourself how would you like to evolve as a result of this global event. Reflect on your own creative adjustment and how you are going to be different when this is all over; when we can finally go out and we can greet one another with a touch, a hug and a kiss again.

Until then, practice social distancing