Coronavirus: mental reactions to the virus

Over the past year, the familiar world has changed completely: the number of restrictions and new rules requires adaptation not so much on the physical, but on the psychological level. After all, in our information space, there is a huge amount of information about how to protect yourself from the virus: wash your hands, keep a distance, wear a mask, avoid crowded places. However, almost none of the specialists give effective recommendations for psychological protection (and, as my practice shows, they are much more important).

Berezhnaya Varvara Nikolaevna will tell you how to deal with stress and its consequences, how not to succumb to panic and shock, how to accept changes in reality and live in harmony with them. Varvara is a professional psychologist and has been practicing for more than 12 years, also studies psychosomatics and energy therapy, closely cooperates with specialists of the Australian University and prepares an author's course on internal studies of fears and phobias.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on our lives. Many of us face problems that can be stressful, overwhelming, and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Public health measures such as social distancing are necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but they can make us feel isolated and alone, and increase stress and anxiety. By learning to deal with stress in a healthy way, you, the people you care about, and those around you will become more resilient.

What feelings did COVID give us?

Fear, distrust, uncertainty, uncertainty – these are synonyms of today for almost everyone. Of course, in this state, it is difficult to keep yourself within the limits for so long. News reports talk about daily deaths, but we no longer react so sharply, and the next European lockdowns seem far from us and our reality.

However, almost everyone in the last 6-12 months has gone through several emotional stages with information or actual contact with the coronavirus.

What emotions are tracked in a modern person?

DENIAL

How do I recognize it?

Vivid examples of a negative reaction can be the following phrases::

There is no coronavirus. This is all politics, economics, and so on.

Everything is not serious, because the death rate is not higher than from the usual flu.

Everything is just a fiction, because those who are not treated die.

Everyone was in a state of shock from the rapidly developing pandemic and the resulting isolation. However, some were stocking up on food and staying at home, while others were going through the classic stage of denial.

Often it was accompanied by a much more serious and dangerous emotion-aggression.

AGGRESSION

Another form of living in a state of shock. And it manifests itself in the following actions:

The search for the guilty (with humiliation and persecution).

Aggressive reactions with excitements and performances.

Riots and rallies, opposition to the "imposed regime".

Aggression is a vivid stage of living through shock trauma. Its extreme manifestations were intentional infestations, more calm ones-trips without masks, rallies and actions, violation of the home regime. This is how people tried to live out their emotions and adapt. Of course, aggression is more of a negative emotion, but it is quite strong and perfectly reveals the problems in our society. Remember, did you want to be aggressive? If so, what was the driving force in your mind?

And if not, did you feel like a victim of the circumstances?

FEAR

Everyone had it and still has it.

It makes no sense to talk about its manifestations, it feels inside and captures completely. It is fear that is the fundamental emotion that causes the chain of development of denial, aggression and panic. But, at the same time, it is fear that is an excellent defense – a mover and a quick adaptation to the situation.

I often talk to my clients about fears from a purely positive point of view: the emotion of fear is born deep inside, as the interaction of our brain with reality. Fear gives you motivation, strength, energy, and even opportunities. Therefore, it is right to be afraid.

If this long history with the pandemic has caused you fear, which you managed to cope with, fine – you have found a new point for growth and development. If the fears still overwhelm you and cause a mixture of panic and aggression (or apathy), I invite you to get acquainted with my author's methodology for working out fear.