4 keys to overcoming discouragement in times of coronavirus

Several tips to boost your mood during the pandemic months.

In times of crisis such as the coronavirus, it is relatively common to suffer from discouragement.

Many times, it is not even possible to identify a specific cause for this feeling; simply, the accumulation of intertwined problems that has appeared due to the pandemic leads some people to a state of mind marked by hopelessness and the inability to actively participate in what surrounds us.

In this article we will look at some key ideas for keeping discouragement at bay in this coronavirus crisis, based on tips to apply in our lives..

Possible causes of discouragement during COVID-19 times.

These are the different factors that come into play in times of coronavirus that can lead people to develop despondency.

1. Psychological grief

One of the most painful aspects of the coronavirus pandemic context is the high death toll in many countries. This is not only a reflection of a health care collapse: it also indicates that the number of people going through a process of psychological grief has skyrocketed.

Psychological grief is an emotional disturbance that arises from a sense of loss, i.e. when we lose something or someone we care deeply about. It occurs especially after the death of friends, relatives and pets.

Psychological grief can make that the mental state of the person who suffers it remains constantly fixed in the anguish that generates this loss.The result is a feeling of emotional fatigue and no desire to do anything, since all energies are concentrated on getting used to this new reality in which the relative, friend or missing object is no longer there. The result is a feeling of emotional fatigue and of not wanting to do anything, since all the energies are concentrated on getting used to this new reality in which the missing relative, friend or object is no longer there.

2. Work stress

The COVID-19 crisis goes hand in hand with a major economic crisisThe crisis of the COVID-19 goes hand in hand with a major economic crisis, due to the implementation of the state of alarm (and in some cases, due to the need to work at full speed, in the case of health personnel). Some people desperately need to look for alternative sources of income, or to work more to compensate for the money that is no longer coming in. In the case of salaried employees, there is also the risk of becoming unemployed due to decisions that are beyond one's reach.

One of the most direct consequences of all this is stress. People who go through situations like this are almost always in a state of alert, since what happens during these months can have long-term implications on their work status or directly on their quality of life.

3. Social isolation

This is a phenomenon that can affect especially the most extraverted and socially active people.Due to the limitations applied to prevent the risk of contagion, many people who could hardly conceive of their leisure time without the company of friends or without meeting new people are trapped in a much more "home-like" lifestyle.

There are people for whom video calls are not enough when it comes to sharing pleasant moments with someone. Therefore, in some cases, boredom predominates due to the lack of references and experience when it comes to enjoying a certain variety of hobbies or stimulating projects that can be developed at home or alone.

4. Empathy with those who suffer

Seeing others go through difficult situations also generates a significant psychological toll; anguish and depressive-type symptoms can become contagious..

How to overcome low mood?

Follow these tips to learn how to overcome the discouragement caused by the pandemic context; to do so, you must introduce small changes in your daily life so that they become new habits of emotional management.

1. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a very powerful tool for managing emotions.. It allows us to let go of obsessive thoughts that keep us constantly anxious, and offer the possibility of adopting a more constructive mentality, not based on what has happened to us but on what we can do from now on. That is why many teams of psychologists incorporate these Mindfulness exercises into our intervention services for patients and groups.

2. Accept the discomfort

Trying to pretend that the discomfort and distress generated by the pandemic does not exist is a mistake. That leads us to always be on guard in case some stressful thought pops into our consciousness, which makes it more likely to occur. Instead of trying to "block" thoughts, we should assume that they will appear, but that we should not attach extra importance to them. It is better to direct our attention to other things.

3. Give yourself time

It is necessary not to hurry; the psychological discomfort requires time to give way to a recovery of the emotional balance.. To pretend otherwise is to put obstacles in your way.

4. Take care of yourself physically

Eat well and rest as much as necessary. If your body is not in a good state, you will not feel the psychological predisposition to be interested in the things that surround you, to be excited about new facets of reality, or to be interested in the things that surround you.to get excited about new facets of reality. Pay attention that what you eat is healthy and make sure you have a sleep schedule in which you can get enough sleep on a regular basis.

Looking for psychological support?

If you are interested in the help of professional psychologists, please contact us. At PsicoTools we are experts in face-to-face psychological therapy (in our center in Barcelona) and online therapy (by video call), and we have also been offering Mindfulness services for some time, both in training processes of emotion management for patients, as well as in training workshops for groups. On this page you will find more information about our psychology center.

Bibliographical references:

• American Psychiatric Association (2014). DSM-5. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Madrid: Panamericana.
• Harrington R. (2005). Affective disorders. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 4th ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
• Kramer, Peter D. (2006). Against depression. Barcelona: Seix Barral.
• McLaughlin, K.; Behar, E.; Borkovec, T. (2005). Family history of psychological problems in generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychology 64 (7): 905 - 918.
• National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health. Depression. (2009). The treatment and management of depression in adults (updated edition). National Clinical Practice Guideline Number 90. London: British Psychological Society and Royal College of Psychiatrists.
• Payás Puigarnau, A. (200). Las tareas del duelo. Psicoterapia de duelo desde un modelo integrativo-relacional. Madrid: Paidós.