Anabiosis In Pajamas

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

Today, due to the COVID-19 coronavirus infection pandemic, the lifestyle of the population around the world has changed dramatically. Many work remotely and are self-isolating at home. How not to succumb to panic and maintain relationships with loved ones, said Anna Mantikova, a kinesiologist and practicing psychologist with professional experience of more than 15 years. She worked in federal and regional emergency psychological services, including hotlines.

Anna Vladimirovna, do you work online?

– I am a forensic psychology expert and a Roskomnadzor expert. For over 15 years I have been conducting psychological columns in various magazines and collaborating with the media. As a psychologist-consultant, at this time, in self-isolation, I work from home, continuing to conduct consultations online. At first, my work gradually shifted from offline to online space, but in April I made the final decision to work remotely. And as much as required. Of course, there are some limitations in online consulting, since I have the additional profession of a kinesiologist, and I can relieve stress, anxiety in physical contact, through a direct impact on the client's body, faster and more efficiently. But we must take into account our current "new reality". Therefore, I adapt all my skills as a social and clinical psychologist, and even a kinesiologist, to the online mode. This is not a new format of working with people for me for a long time.

What problems are most often addressed to you now?

- A significant number of new applications since the end of March are directly or indirectly related to the current situation of the spread of coronavirus infection, because it is characterized by uncertainty and causes chronic stress. Therefore, the “top” topical appeals at this time are mainly headed by episodes of panic attacks. Moreover, both openings and an increase in their frequency in those people who have already encountered them. This is an increase in the level of anxiety, in general, as an inability to distract from the situation and spend the freed time fruitfully, as well as insomnia and other psychosomatic problems associated with the current situation of uncertainty.

What would you advise to do during self-isolation?

- Take care of yourself at all levels: physical, emotional, mental, spiritual. And then you will not have to look for the guilty, stick in the content of social networks - 99 percent senseless. And someone can find himself in a new capacity, for example, a volunteer helping the elderly in the delivery of vital medicines and food. In this way, they will be able to satisfy one of the basic needs for recognition, realizing that you are doing something useful for society.

How to support children? If a baby, for example, 4-5 years old asks what is a coronavirus? How best to explain this to him?

- Show the kids the pictures and arrange for them an exciting journey into the world of virology. Think of the colorful advertisements for the "zoo" living under the rim of the toilet. Paint this "virus" with gouache on thick paper, or watercolor on a wet sheet with your child, let him "know the enemy in the face", which will seem to him not so terrifying. After all, the cognitive need is one of the leading ones. And joint activity unites and creates a feeling of not only contact, but also safety for the child. Expand information boundaries - show, draw, make applications for other viruses or bacteria.

And if the child is a teenager, what is the best way to build a relationship with him? And is it worth talking about this virus at all? After all, they basically get their own information from the Internet …

– As for teenagers, teach them how to correctly set a query for a search engine and filter information sources. Let them surf the internet and then tell you the latest relevant news. This skill is fundamental to being successful in today's digital world. Now it is not so important to know a lot of information, the main thing is to be able to navigate in its ocean!

How to maintain a relationship with a loved one during self-isolation? According to the latest data, the number of divorces has increased in connection with the pandemic? Why is this happening?

- Regarding the sensational fake news about the soaring number of divorces and quarrels between partners, as a family psychologist who works with married couples and parent-child relationships, everything has not changed. In my practice, I do not observe any concentration of these problems. A new situation for everyone, indeed, can be a diagnostic, a kind of express test of relationships, but only for those who, even without self-isolation, abstracted themselves from their loved ones.

Forms of escapism, that is, escape from reality, are endless: ranging from socially acceptable, for example, workaholism, to destroying the body, psyche and relationships - drug addiction, alcoholism, and other "isms." And it is especially difficult for such people now. When the patterns of their dependence cannot be satisfied due to changes in the conditions of life, then a real "withdrawal" awaits a person. Even if we are talking about relationships with loved ones, from which for a long time he managed to "merge" into some of his addictive activities.

Now everything is in full view, so self-isolation is a kind of "psychological cleansing" of both yourself and your relationship. Perhaps some relationships, and even families, will really fall apart as a result of this process. This is a natural course of events, and self-isolation only concentrates and accelerates it.

How not to succumb to panic, overcome fear and control yourself during a mass epidemic?

- Not giving in to panic can help to "identify" yourself with the crowd. Make a decision: you are like everyone else, or choose an individual trajectory of actions in a situation of uncertainty. People who are reference for us, that is, whose opinion in work (study), life, in general, we listen to; having a high social status, etc. - just like the rest of the "faceless mass", can be sources or repeaters of disinformation. Therefore, do not turn off critical thinking for a minute, in terms of topical information. I have witnessed more than once how authoritative people relay heresy "with a blue eye", and I know what I am talking about, believe my experience.

Believe it? And in vain! So you have fallen into the trap of "authoritative opinion". This was an example for you - His Majesty Critical Thinking. Only its preservation in any stressful, force majeure situation can save us from stupid mistakes, the cost of which may be too high. Do you feel like you have a "gag" with this most critical thinking? Then train, develop it right now, here's a reason for development, self-improvement and structuring time. Buy a training book or online course on the development of critical thinking, and then teach this to your child, then you will become an assistant. After all, we learn the most from what we teach others.

Is it worth looking for information about this virus ourselves in order to warn yourself and your loved ones?

- Currently, in all large companies, messengers, social networks and television there is active propaganda about how to protect yourself from COVID-19, the tips are very simple and affordable for implementation. At the same time, a stream of disinformation falls on us every day. I do not read forwarded messages and do not watch videos, I immediately delete everything. In my presence, more than one authoritative person spread misinformation about COVID-19 or that the borders between neighboring regions were closed when these measures had not yet been introduced. Many people in such a situation behave conformally, the laws of social psychology operate, including the behavior of the masses and crowds, although this has now spilled over into the virtual space. It's best not to delve into such content.

Have you already had similar situations in your practice?

- No, but in my practice there was something similar in 2014, when the conflict in Ukraine began. It was a surge of phobic reactions and an overwhelming anxiety among online customers in territories close to the border. For example, from the Kursk and Oryol regions.

What are your main recommendations and wishes for the readers?

- My main recommendation is to invest in yourself in any incomprehensible situation.

Sooner or later, everything will be cleared up, resolved, and we will enter a new reality. As they say: "There are no desperate situations."

But, observing this rule, we will come out not empty and devastated, but with a return on our investment. It always works. For example, I invested in myself in self-isolation: time, money, information, skills. For example, I slept very well, developed and delivered an online training on the topic of the day on independent work with anxiety, took three online seminars, improving my skills in kinesiology and body-oriented psychotherapy. And also, I finally found time to read books that have been on standby for a long time. I read a lot, but mainly scientific articles on psychology, and now I allowed myself to enjoy fiction, and let my usual reading wait. This is also a replenishment of the resource, when not only for the sake of, but for the soul. Usually there are so many things that it does not come to this.

I suppose that after a long self-isolation or quarantine, some people will radically change their field of activity, hearing themselves, being alone with themselves. For some, creative interests are actualized, for which there is no time left in the modern business world of high intensity of contacts. Many online clients now say approximately one thing: materials for creativity, online courses were bought long ago, but there was no momentum and time to get down to business. And now they are doing it for pleasure and discovering new facets of their talents.

Also, we just need tactile stimulation by another person: touching, stroking, massage, etc. We need to be noticed by others, to recognize our existence, to give feedback - this is the need for recognition. And we need to structure time. Remember Robinson Crusoe, who makes a notch on a pole every day so as not to get lost in time? (Just an example of controlling a situation of uncertainty, which is significantly frustrating). So, we need a lot of such "nicks" - these are all kinds of rituals, starting with hygienic (take a shower in the morning, brush your teeth), also morning yoga or gymnastics, a cup of aromatic coffee, a call to mom, etc. It is best to structure your time in a diary by not only recording online business meetings, but various procedures, current tasks and plans. This will save perfectionists from the unpleasant feeling of a wasted day. Take stock in the evening, praise yourself for what you have achieved, reflect on those components of the daily routine, from which you are filled with a resource, as well as those from which you lose it. This will help you adjust your regimen the next day.

Another important recommendation is to do physical activity every day: push-ups, squats, morning exercises - everything that does not require professional sports equipment. Most of my online clients from large cities, where fitness rooms and swimming pools have been closed for a long time, after several days without sports, ordered sports gadgets in the form of dumbbells, fitness rubber bands, weights from online stores to do physical activity at home.

I myself walk about five kilometers on an elliptical trainer every day. It helps the body "not to go into hibernation", maintains hormone levels for optimal body and mind activity.

Improve yourself, move forward, develop and be healthy!