In these days when we are grappling with Covid-19, there is a common experience shared by all societies: “being in quarantine” and as a result, “physical isolation.” According to research, quarantine has negative effects on our psychology. Intense feelings such as anxiety, anger, and unreal thoughts, or unexpected thoughts, can be examples of these effects. First and foremost, it is beneficial to remember that these reactions are normal in such extraordinary situations. Then, recognizing stress factors and our supportive resources in a balanced way will help us manage this process.
So, why do our emotions and thoughts become challenging for us during the quarantine process?
*During this process, there may be stress factors that we are aware of or unaware of:
*Duration of the quarantine (long/short)
*Fear of infection (for oneself/loved ones)
*Boredom (feeling imprisoned/routine disruption/physical distance)
*Inadequacy in meeting basic needs (food/clothing [mask, gloves]/accommodation) Insufficient information (unclear/not transparent)
*Financial loss (during/after quarantine)
*Labeling (towards those in quarantine/healthcare workers) (Brooks et al., 2020).
*So, in practical terms, what can we do to minimize these stress factors or what resources can we use?
What Does Altruism Mean?
Feeling that helping someone else is good, feeling useful
Let’s look at it this way; quarantine is not being confined to home, but a precaution!
By staying in quarantine, you are taking precautions for others, playing a role in reducing the risk of getting sick, and this is a valuable attitude. At the same time, feeling that we are useful also contributes to psychological resilience! Of course, it is essential not to forget to express both your respect and support for healthcare workers while being in quarantine.
What Do Psychologists Recommend Under Quarantine Conditions?
Maintaining Routines Existing Before Quarantine
Our routines shape and define our days. In these uncertain times, maintaining our days as much as possible in their old form will make us feel secure. Take your routine from a day before quarantine as a basis; your waking time, personal care, meals, how much you move, who you communicate with, what tasks you deal with, what you completed and what you spread over time, when you took breaks, at what time of the day you followed the news, your sleep time, etc., and try to continue them as much as possible.
Stay Connected with People Around You
Let’s not forget that what we experience these days is not social distance but physical distance, and the internet provides us with the opportunity to see and talk to each other. Considering that humans are social beings who need to express and share their emotions and thoughts, maintaining existing connections, being informed about each other’s processes will be beneficial for all of us. It is necessary to remember that the communications we establish during the day also activate many of our internal resources; seeing that you are loved, respected, valued, proud, etc., and the activation of our internal resources helps us navigate through challenging events.
Use Art as an Expression Technique
Art provides us with the opportunity to bring our feelings to the surface through any channel, allowing us to walk hand in hand with them. You don’t need any talent or skill; the goal is to see concretely what your feelings are telling you. How intense is your anger, your anxiety, your joy, how does it look from the outside, what is it trying to tell; express it through the colors on a piece of paper, shapes, or the words you use in your writing, from the object you made using the materials at home, from the knitting you did, the music you played. It is important to remember that the goal here is not to produce something but to move forward in contact with feelings.
Stay Active
The state of being healthy encompasses mental, intellectual, and physical integrity. Although some of us may or may not exercise in our normal routine, it cannot be denied that everyone is in a certain state of motion. In these times when we continue our lives from our homes, it is important not to forget to allocate a certain time of the day for sports for our mental, intellectual, and physical health or at least get up from time to time and do certain stretching exercises.
Access Accurate Information Sources Within Certain Time Frames
Spending most of our time looking at the news will prevent us from staying calm. Therefore, it is important to follow the news from reliable sources at certain times during the day.
It is worth mentioning that we are not doing all these to feel good because we know that in this process, our mood will be more fluctuating than normal in life. The goal is to navigate our minds into healthy evaluations by moving through somewhat safe waters.
Sources;
Brooks, S. K., Webster, R. K., Smith, L. E., Woodland, L., Wessely, S., Greenberg, N., & Rubin, G. J. (2020). The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: Rapid review of the evidence. The Lancet, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30460-8
Regards,
