Stress is a normal and necessary reaction that is generated as a defense against a situation that is experienced as dangerous, both subjectively and objectively, which is why some people fear open spaces while others enjoy them.
We are living in a time when danger exists; we cannot help but recognize it. The coronavirus is there, so it's not surprising that we may be stressed out. This virus, is presented as a situation unknown to everyone: it is something new to add to our life experiences and it is normal that it can generate uncertainty, anxiety or stress.
Stress is a transitory reaction, because the dangers are usually short-lived, ranging from minutes to hours. However, when the stress lasts over time, it can become an abnormal reaction, and that is when problems due to prolonged stress arise.
The organism is prepared for short term stress situations as the neurovegetative endocrine systems can be depleted (to put it in an understandable way). If these situations are extended, then the body can suffer from different pathologies such as: hypertension, asthma, gastritis; or psychic disorders such as depression and anxiety states.
Each person reacts in a different way, since, because of biology and experiences, we are all very different. Some people show themselves to be calm, while others are overwhelmed, distressed, with irritability, insomnia, nightmares or excessive caring behaviour.
These two issues are intertwined or linked as we can be reassured, but if the situation is prolonged, we can move on to the second group, of pathological stress reactions.
In the face of a stressful situation it is possible that:
1. We feel dominated by physical and emotional sensations that disorganize us and make us suffer loss of balance or control.
2. Let's get desperate.
3. We are invaded by catastrophic thoughts: "when this is over I don't know what will become of me".
4. Let's present excess behaviors: drinking, eating, aggressiveness.
What can help us to overcome this stressful situation?
1. Recover emotional balance. This is fundamental, for a reason we often say "count to ten before". It is necessary, first, to recognize the lack of control, to accept it, and then to do breathing exercises or meditation. There are many tutorials and even applications that we can find on the Internet, such as: Headspace or through YouTube channels like Malova Elena's.
2. Avoid isolating yourself and connecting with someone, whether at home, on the phone or through social networks. People usually have the need to communicate and share, we must choose that person who we know will calm and contain us.
3. Listen to music that relaxes us.
4. Doing some physical activity that allows us to discharge emotion. You can either do it on your own if you already have knowledge in the area or use the countless options available on the Internet to do these activities from home. I share some options that may be useful: gymvirtual, basic yoga.
5. To do some creative activity or to feel useful, to finish something that was left half done, to draw, to do some hobby or to start a course.
6. Read or write.
With these actions we can recover the emotional balance that allows us to recognize the dimension of the danger and become aware of our capacity to protect and face the situation.
I'm a medical psychiatrist, psychotherapist and actor. Due to consultations received, I was interested in publishing reflections that can be useful to face what we are living in the best possible way, avoiding panic and despair, which are not good companions.
We can synthesize by saying that, in all situations that we encounter in life, we ourselves have the power to decide to sit in two possible chairs: that of suffering and that of pleasure. The problem is when we do not realize this and we remain fixed to the first chair but, if we recover the capacity to choose, we will know how to get to the desired chair because "whenever it rained it stopped" and, it is better to wait in the second chair, the one of pleasure, and enjoy the path that is life.
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