Psychological advice on human behavior and activities in a pandemic emergency (COVID-19)
In the midst of panic. How to stay emotionally healthy
Today we all feel some powerlessness in the face of the CORONA crisis, although this manifests itself in different ways. Some are brave, like the Italian governor Nicola Zingaretti, who declared on camera: “We must not panic, go to restaurants and enjoy life,” and he did so himself, and then ... he fell ill with coronavirus. Others make apocalyptic predictions: we are all going to die. Still others are ready to act as a messiah and open the true path of salvation to humanity.
And all together we go through familiar stages: denial, anger, bargaining, despair, humility.
General recommendations
What will help:
Wash your hands regularly.
Cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing.
Avoid close contact with people with respiratory symptoms such as coughing and sneezing.
Thoroughly heat-treat meat and eggs before eating.
Balance your diet.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Get enough sleep and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Does not help:
Protective masks. Wear masks only for those who are sick. On the streets, masks are ineffective.
Dietary supplements and homeopathic preparations.
Immunomodulators. Only a doctor can prescribe these drugs.
Garlic, onions, alcohol and other "traditional medicine". There is insufficient scientific evidence for their effectiveness.
But if everything is more or less clear with physical health, then how about taking care of your mental state? How can you stay emotionally healthy when many people around you are scared? It is natural to be stressed in the face of a threat that we cannot control. Here are some simple guidelines.
1 Listen to your body and emotions
Everyone reacts to stress differently, so pay attention to these warning signs:
Body: Any changes in appetite, new pains or sensations, especially heat or cold.
Emotions: Anxiety, sadness, anger, or detachment.
When you notice them, pause to take care of your body and mind. If you are unable to cope with this and return to normal functioning, seek professional help from a psychologist or psychotherapist.
2 Apply best healthcare practices
While not much depends on you in a coronavirus outbreak, there are still some things you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends:
- avoid close contact with sick people;
- do not touch your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands;
- Wash your hands often with soap and water (at least 20 seconds), especially after visiting public places;
- if soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol - apply to the entire surface of the brushes and rub until they dry);
- stay at home when you are sick (if you do not need medical attention);
- Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing with a tissue, or use the inside of your elbow for this;
- wear a protective mask if you are sick or accompany a sick person without a mask;
- clean and disinfect frequently used items and surfaces (tables, doorknobs, switches, telephones, keyboards, toilets, taps and sinks).
3 Use reliable sources of information
You can choose where to receive and how to analyze information about the coronavirus outbreak. Panic calls from loved ones and inaccurate social media messages can harm emotional health more than if you rely on trusted sources of information about the coronavirus (such as the CDC and WHO).
If you find yourself overwhelmed by the latest news about the epidemic, compulsively checking the news feed and feeling overwhelmed, you need to take a break and set limits for yourself.
4 Share the right information
Share the useful information you find with other people. This can reduce the anxiety of others and really help them.
5 Take care of yourself
In the midst of a stressful period, the usual ways to take care of yourself are very effective:
- do routine things;
- chat with family and friends;
Eat well and stay active
- have a good rest;
- do things that bring you pleasure;
- use peaceful practices such as mindfulness, meditation or prayer.
And while it seems that during an epidemic and a whirlwind panic, much cannot be controlled, everyone is able to make choices in favor of their emotional health.
I want to remind you of one story about how simple recommendations can improve and even save lives. In the middle of the 19th century, the main horror and curse for women in labor was postpartum fever: chills, fever, high fever, a swollen stomach, which was unbearably painful. The active phase of the epidemic began in 1841 and lasted until 1849. The average mortality rate of women who gave birth was up to 27% (1850).
In 1843, Oliver Holmes, a Harvard Medical School graduate, suggested the cause of the fever; around the same time Ignaz Semmelweis did it. The fact is that many doctors worked in anatomical offices, and then went and took delivery, infecting the wounds caused by the birth act with pathogens. It was suggested that the doctor's hands be washed and disinfected with antiseptics before surgery, as a result of which the death rate dropped to 5%. However, the solution of Holmes and Semmelweis turned out to be too simple and was not immediately accepted by contemporaries.
College psychologist: Kenzhebaeva Kazima Bertiskyzy