Psychological Consequences Of Confinement In The Face Of COVID-19
The first measure adopted by all governments in the world as a result of the health alert due to the expansion of the coronavirus has been to decree the confinement of people in their homes to stop mass infections. But human beings are social beings, that is, we need contact with others for our survival.
That’s why, Quarantine is an unpleasant experience for us because it is a mandatory social isolation that implies breaking with our daily lives our routines, our leisure, our relationships with friends, partner, family, our loss of freedom, the appearance of boredom, etc.
Suddenly, our life has come to a standstill and we have to temporarily adapt to a new, unimaginable situation and all the possible consequences generated by it: loss of work, reduction in monthly income or managing the fact of living 24 hours with our partner, children. , family members or roommates.
Indeed, This situation has a powerful psychological burden on us that can lead us to feel great anguish and sadness Therefore, certain emotional changes will be present in us while confinement lasts, although it does not have to be always.
It is possible that at certain times our mood remains stable, bordering on normal, but the longer the confinement lasts, the more unpleasant emotional disorders may appear, such as sadness, loneliness, frustration, boredom, nervousness. , fear or anger, but also irritability, uncertainty, anguish, worry, stress, depressive symptoms and/or sleep problems, among others.
At the very least, anxiety, fear and apathy can be the main protagonists of our state of mind in these days of confinement. These emotions are a consequence of uncertainty. Above all, due to ignorance.
Indeed, if there is something that this situation generates in us, it is uncertainty. We need to know what is going to happen next so we can anticipate what is going to happen. Human beings constantly try to control everything around us. But this, as we well know, is sometimes not possible.
Therefore, this failed attempt to control will generate greater anxiety. This will determine that we feel that there is nothing we can do, just wait This situation can generate frustration. This uncertainty can lead us to constantly search for information, feeling these days over information. Catastrophic and anticipatory thoughts may also appear, putting us in the worst and most unlikely scenarios, which will cause us great discomfort.
As the days go by, these emotions may vary and even become more intense, but even so, we must be aware that All these emotions that we can feel are normal reactions to this exceptional situation that we are having to live, and therefore, it is important to identify them, but not feed them or get carried away by them.
Most experts agree in pointing out a series of negative psychological effects associated with quarantines, such as post-traumatic stress or irritability. These psychological effects can still be detected months or years later. Therefore, they suggest that It is necessary for authorities to ensure that effective mitigation measures are implemented as part of the quarantine planning process.
Inactivity these days, if you have not decided to do some type of exercise, can also lead to inappropriate eating behaviors, both in children and adults and, therefore, appearance of obesity, or at least a few extra kilos
The most vulnerable groups
Psychological disorders also have a special impact on health workers, as they are one of the sectors of the population most exposed to the virus. Healthcare workers may suffer more severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder than members of the general public They may also experience emotions related to frustration, guilt, helplessness, loneliness, and sadness.
Another important risk group is citizens greatly affected by the economic repercussions of confinement, due to loss of employment and the inability to meet expenses such as mortgage, rent or bills. This financial loss creates serious socioeconomic distress and is a risk factor for developing symptoms of mental and anxiety disorders even several months after quarantine.
Boys and girls should be highlighted among the groups most affected, since they may theoretically be more vulnerable to psychological disorders due to quarantine. The tense wait to go out is a longing that becomes a physical and emotional need for everyone, but especially for the little ones who are waiting confined in their homes. Although it is true that since April 27 they have been able to go out for a walk, which is very positive.
That does not mean that they do not have episodes of sadness, sensitivity, greater anxiety or greater irritability at times. Besides, It would be normal for greater disobedience or rebellion to appear in the face of the rules imposed by the parents when doing homework or with schedules, for example.
Prolonged confinement and social isolation can also have more serious psychological consequences for children and adolescents. This stage of mandatory lack of freedom can be the antecedent of anxiety and mood disorders that would begin to manifest with regressions to previous stages of development, such as bed-wetting again or fear of getting sick, explosions of aggressiveness or Difficulty falling asleep. And this in children whose previous functioning was adequate.
Even so, having said all the above, a situation in which there is no type of margin of movement, such as a curfew or a state of exception, is not the same as the one we are currently experiencing, since there are certain routines of daily life, such as going to do the basic shopping or to work depending on the case, which continue to be done. That somewhat limits the feeling of overwhelm and confinement.
On the other hand, confinement will be more harmful to children from disadvantaged families, for the simple fact that substandard housing makes daily activity and, therefore, coexistence more difficult.
What can be done to minimize the effects of confinement?
Confinement, strange as it may seem, also generates a positive and calming effect that can alleviate these other negative effects This positive effect is generated when we think that the quarantine is temporary and that by staying at home we are helping to control the crisis and prevent the death of people, in addition to having an apparently safe place like our home. Feeling useful, even passively, helps us psychologically.
We live in a world of constant hustle and bustle, in a society of continuous rush, demands and obligations. But The confinement due to the coronavirus has allowed us to take a mandatory break
We were installed in a comfortably happy world, in general, and now we see that we are vulnerable and fragile. This surpasses us from an emotional, health and social point of view. But for our sake, We must be able to learn from this situation and cope with it using key instruments that we all have at hand : affection for our most important relationships and the meaning of life as essential priorities to be happy and share it.
Now, in these moments and more than ever, our house is not only our home, but it is our place of work, leisure, sports and rest. But far from seeing it as something negative, we can turn it around and use it to our advantage.
Since the quarantine began, psychologists are continually releasing positive advice and strategies to use to manage confinement. The priority and essential thing is that You should not let the days pass arbitrarily, because in this way the feeling of internal chaos can be favored and greatly increased
The first proposal they propose to us is to face this situation of confinement by creating daily routines. That is, they would be routines such as establishing schedules, not neglecting hygiene habits (neither personal nor at home), not staying in pajamas all day, organizing household chores as a family, taking care of food and doing some physical activity.
This routine is especially important for families who have children. You have to maintain your schedule for getting up, meals, cleaning, homework, and family leisure activities
Children must be made to understand that confinement is not a punishment but an emergency. Explain to them, to give them meaning to this lack of freedom, that this is being done for the common good, which is beneficial for everyone. But also that positive things can be derived from this, such as, for example, being together or having more time to play and talk.
In addition to routines, psychologists emphasize that it is also convenient to establish individual or shared leisure activities such as reading, board games, painting, sewing or crafts, depending on the tastes of each person.
The coexistence
Another aspect that can be positive and very useful is use the possibilities that new technologies offer us We can use these to keep in touch with family and/or friends through phone calls, video calls, voice messages or WhatsApp. For many people, especially those who live alone, telecommunications will be the best therapy.
On the other hand, we can also take advantage of new technologies to carry out virtual activities that a multitude of institutions, companies and spaces offer us, such as visits to museums, access to theater, concerts, films, series, exhibitions, etc. Quite a great opportunity.
However, We must not neglect the best coexistence with the people around us For this, it may be important to establish clear rules for the proper functioning of the house and spaces. Nor should we neglect to also have time for ourselves. Since most of the time it is difficult for us to spend time with the family or people we live with, confinement can provide us with an excellent time to get closer, unite more and take an interest in other people’s things.
We can take advantage of these moments to dedicate some time to doing all those things that we always leave pending due to lack of time, but that we have ever wanted to do. Not only that, it can be a great opportunity to use creativity or even open up to options other than the usual ones to be used in the future or for personal satisfaction.
Sharing household tasks among all family members, or those who are living together at the time of confinement, is also beneficial. It can relax tension and distract. In the case, for example, that we are caring for small children, it is important to take turns in this care and generate individual “little moments” for ourselves.
If possible, it is preferable to use different rooms for each activity we carry out each day, whether individually, as a couple or in a group. Thus, the room in which we work or study should be different from the room we use for rest or where we have leisure time. It is important that there is a physical difference for each activity because this will allow us to better disconnect at all times from the activity we have just completed from the one we want to start.
Nevertheless, We should not be too demanding of ourselves because perhaps it would be counterproductive That is to say, it is very important to consider routines and activities, but that these are simple, pleasant (in the majority of cases) and that they have continuity, that is, setting a task to be able to accomplish it. For example, reading a chapter of a book every day or doing a simple exercise table. If we manage to achieve our objectives we will feel safer and calmer.
However, there is no doubt that living together for so many hours a day and for so many days in a row can also be a double-edged sword and a source of complicated situations. Friction and fights appear both with the partner and with the children and many times having to telework at the same time.
Recommended habits
What psychologists in no way recommend to us during this period of confinement is overinformation related to the coronavirus pandemic This excess of information through different means (television, radio, internet, chats, WhatsApp, etc.) can generate negative consequences on our state of physical and emotional health.
This overload of information can lead us to a state of permanent alert, stress, anguish, anxiety or worry, since this consumption leads us to carry out continuous and different checks in the media and seek constant updates of new information.
On the other hand, this desire to be informed and inform can also lead us to consume and spread hoaxes that benefit no one. In the same way, This excess of data can lead us to carry out constant checks about our physical health (continuously taking our temperature, for example).
These checks increase our anxiety levels, appearing in us different symptoms that can be confused with the symptoms caused by COVID-19, thus generating a certain hypochondria, understood as a certain irrational fear and concern about suffering from contagion.
Another piece of advice that psychologists give us about confinement and the pandemic is to try to avoid catastrophic thoughts as much as possible, always trying to stay in the present and taking care of what is happening day by day without anticipating what may happen tomorrow because that encourages anxiety.
In this sense, it can help us and be very useful to find a moment each day to do a little meditation, yoga, Mindfulness or relaxation strategies, because that will help us place ourselves in the present and calm down.
Probably, by following all these guidelines and advice we will be able to ward off those feelings of sadness, anxiety, fear of difficulties falling asleep to which the confinement due to COVID-19 may have led us.
