Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, have you noticed changes in yourself on an emotional level? Have you had or are you having trouble sleeping? Are you more irritated? Discouraged? Tired and you don’t know the reason? Are you feeling anxious? Do you notice some of these aspects in a family member or in a friend?
The coronavirus pandemic has produced alterations not only on a biological and social level, but also on a psychological level due to the quarantine. All of this has forced us to remain isolated, with serious economic, social and emotional impacts. The fear of contagion, the consequence of having lost a job or the uncertainty of losing it at any time, the pain of the death of a relative or a known person, impacts and produces psychological effects in people.
But once the confinement stage is over, the process of returning to “normality” begins, of coping and putting our lives back together, and perhaps, in that process, we realize that not only have the world changed, but so has something in us and that there was a “before” and “after” due to the process that has gone through.
Our routines, our way of interacting and relating to others, our habits, our way of perceiving things have all been modified.
And as a result of this, new emotions, regardless of whether they’ve negatively affected us or not, have surely altered our essence.
Psychological trauma is induced due to a negative event that happens to a person, and because he or she was not equipped to face it, it generates a significant emotional and psychic burden. In these moments of crisis, of uncertainty, of traumatic experiences, they can lead to psychological consequences, such as:
- Insomnia (sleep problems): Staying indoors for too long due to the mandatory quarantine by COVID-19 can cause problems in falling asleep and also producing deficits in attention, memory, excessive fatigue, headaches, etc.
- Post-traumatic stress : It is normal to feel fear in a traumatic situation, since this is a protective response, but if this fear continues over time, it can end up being a problem that prevents us from living our day to day naturally. For example, avoiding places, situations, social anxiety etc..
- Grief : It is the process that occurs after the loss of someone dear to us
- Anxiety : It is the constant fear or excessive worry. It can generate discomfort and affect the daily functioning of a person (whether in family or social relationships, in work or school performance, etc.).
- Low mood or depression : Simply put, demotivation and discouragement from doing things. Not wanting to move, reluctance, and the absence of strength and prevalence of sadness.
Taking the first step is essential and is of great importance for our quality of life. Therefore, if you are going through any of these situations, we recommend you face them taking into account these tips:
Early intervention
If some of the symptoms of anxiety, fear or discomfort such as those mentioned above persist preventing us from resuming our day-to-day routines, consult a mental healthcare professional. Psychological therapies are highly effective in treating symptoms, helping the patient through different techniques and methods to cope with these difficult moments. Early intervention is key to recovering emotional well-being and achieving a better quality of life.
Put into words what you feel
Being able to share and transmit what happens to your environment, to family members or to friends helps alleviate the discomfort and process the feelings in a healthier and more constructive way.
Adapt to your own space
Generally, we hope that things will be solved from one day to the other, and in these cases, we hope to return to our routine and normality as soon as possible, as if nothing had happened. Any adaptation takes time, and we need patience and more importantly, allow ourselves to understand what is truly happening and express them in the right way.
Many of Nuna’s mental healthcare experts are helping our users understand these feelings and helping them overcome their challenges. To speak to one of our experts in the field, visit the Nuna directory.
