Overwhelmed with COVID-19? Close all death toll tabs & READ THIS!

"While we are constantly sanitising our hands to keep physically fit, how much are we sanitising our mind to maintain balance and composure? "

The reason I have this question is because we have got into this frenzied mode of taking in all the information we possibly can about CoronaVirus. We seem to know everything ranging from the biology of it to the death toll statistics in more than 100 countries. In addition to these, we also seem to have this new found interest in spreading and panicking over fake news about the virus and affected people. While it is good to expose ourselves to knowledge about the symptoms and preventive measures, is it really healthy to feed our mind with information beyond that?

This article is not to emphasise on the economical or political impact of Corona but to purely bring out the psychological ramifications of COVID19 in our everyday life while living through this period of anticipation!

We are primarily stressed because of three reasons:

• Not having "your normal" - Human beings are a creature of habit. Our mind is wired to form networks to follow a set pattern and routine. Currently, your mind is having to create new networks in the brain to understand your day. Neither are you getting dressed and leaving for work, nor are you able to have your usual coffee time with friends. While they may sound insignificant, these everyday routines are very important in regulating the mind's happy hormones.
• Feeling of "Helplessness" - Given that we are gifted with higher order thinking, we always like to take charge and solve problems. From a social standpoint, we always like to believe that we are better off than the rest. This could be in terms of money, connections, place of work, country of stay etc. But in the current scenario, we don't seem to have an edge over others. Ranging from a homeless person to a rich one in a mansion, every one remains dispensable against the force of nature.
• Feeling of "Uncertainty" - Given the advancements in the 21st century, we have become habituated to being able to analyse and predict events. From foreseeing the time of delay on that little street corner to the amount of mild showers expected next week, nothing is left unknown. But today we are having to live through this uncertainty with increasing questions and too little answers. How long is this going to last? What if the world comes to an end? etc.

While these may sound simple, I would like to reiterate that our mind is having to undergo major readjustments because of disturbance in the above areas! In order to ensure that our mind is not living in the constant state of conflict, here are few active measure to live through this grave situation in a balanced way:

1. Redefine your normal - While you are still readjusting to the concept of work from home and self-quarantine, try to work out a different schedule and follow it diligently. Instead of longing for your usual routine, form a new one. What happens is that, your mind takes this to be the "normal" routine and you don't feel alien to your day anymore. This could be done through chalking out rigid work hours and experimenting new hobbies like journaling, reading, yoga or painting.
2. Shift perspective to trick your mind - It is very normal for our mind to feel drained when we constantly ruminate over the anticipation of contracting the virus and expect the worst. Instead of treating work from home or self-quarantine as an unfortunate event due to virus, what if we consider it to be a social experiment? Because the truth is, you are going to have to live through this period no matter what! We could take this as an opportunity to unwind and disinfect our minds from external opinions and events. We can take this time to truly isolate our mind and figure out our true interests and passion.
3. Take a mandatory time out & "plan your happy" - This measure is extremely crucial to maintain mental well-being during this period. Take some time out everyday to actively disengage from news or conversations about the virus and plan to do something that makes you happy. This could be as simple as enjoying your favourite meal or watching a movie. Be it 10 min or 1 hour or more, your mind needs some space where it can realign with happy thoughts and feel the balance.
4. Extend community support & practice kindness - It is very important for us to realise how lucky we are to stay shielded and have the comfort of home while thousands are battling the sickness or living under a lock down. All our learnings on being inclusive and empathetic is finally put to test due to the virus spread, but are we acing it or not? I think it’s high time we develop larger perspectives on community building and kindness. While we have transitioned from individual houses to community apartments over the years, I don’t think we have truly evolved to be a part of it. If you were currently put in a situation where two people from Ireland landed in your apartment, would you offer support to the family (given that all of them are self-quarantined) or wreck their peace by spreading false alarms about them in social media ?  

I hope these measures helps your distress and you are able to realign to focus on what matters!

To learn more, check out this link https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6647475188378243072