Stages Of Adoption Of Quarantine And Pandemic

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43

UPDATE from 2020-12-04 thanks to a wonderful comment on one of the resources: introduced a stage, which is placed in 3rd place.

Meeting with my different feelings in relation to the current state of affairs, I wanted to somehow systematize them (after a true meeting with them, of course, acceptance and living). I thought that understanding the complete normalcy of the process could help someone cope with this crisis, so I decided to form my thoughts into an article.

When I thought about systematization, I almost immediately remembered the Elizabeth Kubler-Ross model, which was originally created to describe the experiences of people who learn about their terminal illness. And I find it quite relevant now: during quarantine, our usual social life seems to die. And the author herself wrote that the model is suitable for any significant changes in a person's life.

These are the stages:

1. DENIAL: "It is not true!" "This couldn't happen to me!" or "It couldn't happen at all / can't happen!" (as is the case with quarantine, for example).

This is the stage at which the psyche does not even admit the thought of a changing state of affairs. At the same time, people can continue to lead their normal life, no matter what. It seems to me that the 100-meter queues of grandmothers in the morning to shops, transport, banks, parks - in many respects about this.

2. ANGER, lamentation, indignation

This stage already includes the understanding that IT IS HAPPENING in reality (with me or with us), but there is also a struggle with changes. Unlike many unaware grandmothers, a person may deliberately and demonstratively fail to take precautions. And of course, apply constant verbal and non-verbal hating (discussing the situation with friends in an angry way, posting angry posts, and so on).

3. HYPOCHRY or fear for your health: "Am I not sick for an hour with this disease?"

In the conditions of ordinary life, hypohodriks are those who are looking for non-existent diseases in themselves. In the context of a pandemic and quarantine, most of us at least once thought about the disease at home and checked inside on the symptoms. In these circumstances, I think this is almost inevitable and even good - fear helps us to realize that something is threatening us, and to take appropriate preventive measures (now it is - wearing gloves, masks, keeping distance, less contact).

4. TRADING: "If I do * A *, maybe then it will turn out * B *?" or "Maybe they will decide this and that … I hope for them!"

This stage is often accompanied by some kind of action - in accordance with the new reality or "to avoid" this reality. But these actions are often associated with magical thinking, because the bargaining takes place - and mainly in the head: with God, the government, the universe, etc. For example: "If I obediently sit at home, the quarantine will not be extended."

But such a belief is not based on a real understanding of current affairs, but only on desires … to avoid the inevitable.

5. DEPRESSION: "I can not do anything." "Whatever I do, it doesn't make sense." and similar thoughts.

This is the acute phase of meeting your impotence. Here you can really get sick (with something), the mood tone is reduced, apathy and difficulties with motivation for anything meaningful. I don't think it's worth describing separately what these people look like during quarantine.

But the next, "positive" phase is impossible without meeting this impotence. Sometimes it is only a meeting with impotence that gives us strength.

6. HUMILITY: “Yes, there is so; and what can I do about it?"

This is not a phase of happiness, but I would say phase of reality … When I am present in my reality, I can make bold and healthy choices about where and how to move. This is impossible without understanding and accepting reality.

Such people either begin to quarantine their activities online, or learn something new, or complete the tasks that they left in the box for a long time, or they simply relax and rest. It is very important that all of the above actions can be done without reaching the stage of acceptance, but in this case, the meaningfulness of these matters will be lower, and they will serve as a disguise from anxiety, and not as a free conscious choice of action for this period of time. More on this in my previous article: "WHAT TO DO VS WHAT IS (pandemic and quarantine)"

I was surprised to also read, while I was updating my knowledge, that Elisabeth Kübler-Ross believes that all stages can easily flow into one another. Of course, partly yes, but it seems to me that a full-fledged transition to the next stage is difficult, while the previous stages are not completed.

This is especially true of the stage of humility. I don’t think it’s real, for example, right away. And on the other hand, if I “get” to humility, then it will not be easy to “knock out” me directly from there either.

Well, I was happy to use the Kubler-Ross theory and argued with it:)

What stage are you at? Or what is your “favorite” stage?:)

PS: if you are in a crisis and do not know how to be, you cannot understand what to do in these difficult times, how to relate to it, where to put yourself; or you have conflicts with loved ones on the basis of a pandemic, I invite you to work online. In times of crisis, it is possible to work with a reduced price.