The pandemic process has made social distance indispensable in our lives as well as masks and hygiene. In addition, the social restriction that came to reduce the risk of virus transmission changed the mood of many of us. The psychological burden of loneliness and inability to socialize is challenging our lives. Is it possible for us to be happy face to face when we cannot be together? Answering this question, Clinical Psychologist Yeşim Karakuş from Acıbadem International Hospital said, “Effective communication against the stress of daily life is one of the greatest sources of strength and resistance for us, a social species. In order to overcome this process in a healthier way, let's keep our social distance, but let's not cut off our social connections. " says.
We met pandemic loneliness
Covid-19 didn't just cause an infection that made our bodies sick; It also caused us to live in a period where we cannot go out on the streets and hug our loved ones and therefore we encounter a new aspect of the concept of “loneliness”. Yeşim Karakuş said, “If you feel anxious, anxious, tired, sad about many issues and you have been experiencing these feelings more intensely recently, you are not alone. Many people experience the same feelings. In this process, it may be difficult to manage our negative emotions due to the loss of many traditions and habits. "It is understandable and normal to feel these emotions during this pandemic process we are in."
So what should be done to cope with this mood? According to Yeşim Karakuş, especially during the days when we are confined to our homes, instead of trying to ignore our pains, sorrows, fears and anxieties or constantly complaining about such troubles, it is necessary to talk with our feelings and accept what we feel as they are.
Listen to your feelings!
Clinical Psychologist Yeşim Karakuş, who said that loneliness and getting away from social environment contradict human nature; “We are a social species. Our development and mental health is shaped by our relationships and our environment. Therefore, when it comes to our mental health and well-being, you cannot separate people from their psychosocial environment. But here it is worth reminding that even if we are separated by physical distance as humans, we have an incredible capacity to be together emotionally. ”
Emphasizing that we can reach each other emotionally and we need to be connected, it is inevitable to feel such negative emotions when our lives are messy, and that we are not alone while living this situation, Yeşim Karakuş said, “In this process where we spend more time with ourselves, let's leave our thoughts and talk a little bit with our feelings. Our emotions and feelings wait to be understood. The negative emotions we experience and our ability to deal with them, whether healthy or not, actually exist to protect us and keep us alive. Let these feelings come and teach us something, but let's not let them stay, ”he says.
How can we deal with uncertainty?
“Life always contains some uncertainty. The word uncertainty is an open-ended concept that has no beginning or end. This pandemic process we live in includes the state of 'uncertainty' in many issues and this situation has psychological effects on us. So how can we deal with this uncertain process we are going through? ' While answering this question, Clinical Psychologist Yeşim Karakuş said, “In case of uncertainty, our behavior of constantly seeking information increases because we do not have information about the subject. When we are in a state of uncertainty, we want to get a lot of information (true or false) from our surroundings in order to cope with the negative emotions we experience. Wanting to have more information than usual increases the uncertainty rather than eliminating it. " says.
Explaining that the uncertainty process triggers the need for information on that subject, Karakuş; “Continuously following the cases, talking with the people we communicate with about the coronavirus process, the pandemic period and various rumors derived from this issue, even the situation of continuing the conversations only within this framework, trying to make continuous predictions on when the process will end or similar issues, rather than reducing uncertainty. it leads to magnification, ”he says. He states that constantly stimulating the nervous system in this way and keeping it alert makes the person more anxious and anxious. He points out that these behaviors can bring along many psychological conditions such as sleep and eating disorders, panic attacks or panic disorders, anxiety problems, and somatic symptom disorders.
Keep your social connections by communicating
Clinical Psychologist Yeşim Karakuş makes the following recommendations to make the pandemic process healthier: “In this difficult process, it is normal for us to feel negative emotions and sometimes live more intensely. It is important to recognize when we feel good or bad, which situations we are most affected by, and to seek psychological support when we have difficulty coping with these emotions. Effective communication against the stress of daily life is one of the greatest sources of strength and resistance for us as a social species. In order to overcome this process in a healthier way, let's keep our social distance, but let's not cut our social connections. Our body is limited but our mind is unlimited. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear the challenge of today.
Be the first to comment