Coping during COVID-19
In 2020, I feel like a movie's protagonist that
keeps reliving the same bad day over and over. Only in my case, this day is coupled with erratic
emotions. Speaking with a few psychologists made me realize that I am not
alone.
A whole new world order due to Covid is causing
individuals to experience a spectrum of emotions. Fr Godfrey D'Sa, a Catholic priest and the Founder Director of PRAFULTA, Centre for Psychological Wellness, says, “Some are experiencing a
sense of relief because of less stress, but many are struggling with different
kinds of difficult emotions like fear, anxiety, frustration, irritation, anger,
sadness, helplessness.”
Priyanka
Varma - a clinical psychologist, counsellor and psychotherapist - says, “People
are sad about not celebrating birthdays, not seeing their friends, not getting
a proper graduation. Some of them may also feel guilty for mourning these
things as they are not as great a loss as the death of a loved one. However,
everyone has a right to experience grief.”
Recently, my mother - a
teacher for over 26 years started taking online classes, naturally it evoked some
distress in her. However, I also found myself taking on her stress. Fr D'Sa says, “When we
unconsciously mirror the feelings of someone, we are having vicarious
emotions.”
Malvika
Fernandes, a Counselling psychologist suggests identifying vicarious emotions
by drawing a pizza or a pie chart.
 |
| Identifying vicarious emotions |
“Differentiate how many of those slices are
your emotions and how many of them are from family and friends. Drawing it on a
paper or even imagining it in the mind helps develop the boundary she says.” On
identifying these emotions, Fernandes asks people to actively do something even
for just two minutes to deal with that emotion by responding to what is under their
control.
 |
| Journal, use breathing & grounding techniques to identify the source of your emotion |
Lamia
Bagasrawala, a psychotherapist is aware that mental health concerns play out
differently for different people. Prescribing how they should cope with it isn’t
ideal. She says, “There are several ways to cope with distress and normal
coping mechanisms may not be available to people right now. People should use the resources they have
around them to feel safe and deal with this time.”
However,
if you don’t know where to begin, Sanober Memon, a Psychologist recommends creating
a relaxed routine with varied activities that can help regain a sense of
control. She says, “Try to follow a 20-20-20-minute rule. 20 minutes to just
breathe and be aware of your surroundings, 20 minutes for physical exercise and
20 minutes of alone time because we are with our families throughout the day and
it’s not always a pleasant experience.”
Social
media plays a huge role in influencing our emotions. Bagasrawala says, “It
often portrays the best picture and also tends to give people a sense of
inadequacy. We need to remind ourselves that what is presented on social media
is just a single story and look out for an alternative story.”
She
encourages people to take breaks from scrolling to connect with themselves. However,
she also realizes that some use social media and the outside world to disengage
from home — they connect with oneself in the presence of virtual connection.
While
we can’t predict what 2020 has next in store, the good news is that caring for
our mental health daily helps manage days with erratic emotions better. When your
emotions are overwhelming, reach out for help. It may seem uncomfortable at
first and you may not know how to start but you never have to journey through
your emotions alone.
If you’re looking to seek
therapy, get in touch with:
·
Lamia Bagasrawala - Psychotherapist
·
Sanober Memon - Psychologist
or head to her website:
·
Priyanka Varma - clinical psychologist, counsellor
and psychotherapist
hello@thethoughtco.org
- PRAFULTA, Centre for Psychological Wellness provides counselling & a variety of psychological services.
You can also call on the Maharashtra Mental Health helpline
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