Psychological Reset

"These are life skills -- [and] psychological first aid is even more essential in times such as a pandemic."

"The pandemic is like the never-ending story. What makes this more psychologically toxic is that we keep receiving new impacts."

"The world seems more uncertain than ever -- uncertainty is a powerful toxin."

"The single best predictor of human resilience is support from other people."

George S.Everly, clinical psychologist, professor of international health, Center for Humanitarian Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

"Remind yourself that whatever you're feeling or going through right now is perfectly normal. That [acknowledgement] tends to bring down some anxiety."

"[You can stack the deck in your favour by] looking for positive moments and holding on to them throughout the day."

"It's about being able to hear, rather than just listen [when you practise active listening giving distressed people undivided attention]."

Nancy Haugen, clinical psychologist, San Francisco/associate professor of psychiatry, UCSF Medical School

A meditation room for medical personnel remains empty in the respite facilities at NYC Health + Hospitals Metropolitan, in New York City, U.S., May 27, 2020. /AP

"Psychological first aid (PFA) is one of the vital tools in delivering psychological interventions to those who have undergone or experienced traumatic events. Traumatic experiences during calamities, outbreaks of infections, and war can induce a significant amount of stress in the absence of early and effective intervention provided by trained caregivers. The coronavirus pandemic has caused significant levels of fear as governments impose quarantine and lockdown to contain the infection. Countries around the globe have halted several social and economic operations to curb the spread of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). However, panic, helplessness, and horror aided by the infection due to the lack of a definitive cure has exposed the population to significant mental distress, thus warranting psychological intervention."

Kaushal Shah, Cureus publishing beyond open access

New research involving 6,514 adults in the United States discovered that people are at greater risk for pandemic-related acute stress and depressive symptoms when they consume higher daily hours of COVID-19-related media news along with exposure to conflicting COVID-19 information. Mental health experts addressing the situation of depression overload refer to a strategy of coping with the deleterious effects of struggling mental health as "psychological first aid (PFA)", related to the global pandemic.

Training in PFA has been open to many disaster responders and public health professions. What they are exposed to, through PFA is not only the fundamentals in helping people in distress over a mountain of bad news weighing heavily on their consciousness, but a set of strategic therapies that can offer help to themselves personally -- since we are all affected by unrelenting concerning news that make us feel helpless to help ourselves -- and to others suffering the misery of psychological stress symptoms.

Although the pandemic could conceivably be classified as a natural disaster, its effects are far different than those of most natural disasters, and so the psychological ripple effects of the worldwide coronavirus epidemic are different. We're subjected to a seemingly endless array of new and usually frightening information about the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-19; its infection rate, its growing prevalence, the death rate associated with COVID and ever-increasing revelations about its complex nature.

 

The more collateral damage that occurs with resurgences and new outbreaks, the more depressing the situation seems to become for so many people. Bad news assails us from multiple directions beyond the pandemic itself, but how it impacts the economy and employment and the general functioning of society as businesses begin to shutter and news piles on news represents an extreme mental burden. Then there is different news; political scandals, societal tensions, fires, floods, conspiracy theories to confuse the issue and add weight to the burden of fear.

 

The usual convention of airing concerns by expressing them to friends, colleagues, family members and neighbours, is shut off to us. Gone the in-person support we so depended on in the past where now extended family and work colleagues are less approachable and everyone is concerned with balancing their own worries largely based on the pandemic. Stress reactivity must be dialled down now as never before and PFA-based strategies are recommended for their direct simplicity and efficacy.

 

A conscious effort to address one's own basic bodily needs is paramount in the process, an effort directed to consume nutritious foods, to remain hydrated, to get enough sleep, to engage in some type of physical activity regularly, while avoiding the use of substances like alcohol or cigarettes as coping mechanisms, Kaushal Shah a psychiatric researcher in Norman, Oklahoma at Griffin Memorial Hospital advises out of his research on PFA.

 

A key aspect of PFA is to help not only yourself to regain psychological balance, but others as well. The physical conditions in which one lives must be safe, and once assured, steps undertaken to ensure emotional safety. Treating oneself and others with respect and compassion, starting with reducing information overload. A calming attitude, however studied, can have a positive affect on yourself as well as on others; it is infectious in a positive way.

 

Giving aid to people who struggle to find enough basic necessities from shelter to food, by offering direct assistance or through the support of public agencies to delivery assistance is a mood enhancer. Expressing concern for people around you who are distressed; encouraging yourself and others to practise relaxation techniques like yoga, mindfulness meditation, deep breathing, or progressive muscle relaxation daily, therapies to aid in de-stressing and maintaining psychological equilibrium.

 

Pause at regular intervals through the day, focus on what you're coping with and then focus on deep breathing. Prioritize your needs and activities; anything that can be shelved should be. Focus on the urgent issues awaiting your attention; control what you can and set aside what you can do nothing about. Above all, be as positive and forward-thinking as possible; focus on what is important in your life. 

Realize that it is "physical distancing" that is the current goal in controlling COVID infection, not "social distancing" -- and contact friends and family members remotely through social media, by phone, text, email or video conferencing. Establish a unique COVID-19-safe bubble to enable spending in-person time with supportive people whose company you value. Everything helps to build resilience.