Good habits and emotional management in times of crisis

Here are some tips to improve your ability to manage your emotions in difficult times.

In times of crisis, it is important not to forget that it is not all about the economy: we must also focus on psychological well-being. After all, the human mind is made to adapt to a changing environment, and few changes are more radical than a crisis situation resulting from a health emergency.

That is why, in this article, we will see what are the main good habits to achieve a good emotional management in times of crisisThe article provides advice and recommendations that are easy to follow on a day-to-day basis.

The good habits of emotional management during the crisis.

Follow these guidelines to ensure your psychological well-being by enhancing your ability to regulate your emotions.

1. Keep in shape

The health of the body is also reflected in the health of the mind. That is why, when it comes to managing emotions well, we must make sure that our physical condition does not predispose us to make sure that our physical condition does not predispose us to expose ourselves to situations that cause us discomfort..

To this end, regular exercise is key. Physical activity not only helps us to disconnect and gives us a pleasant sensation (as long as it is a moderate effort); in addition, aerobic exercises protect us against depression and anxiety, as long as we practice them regularly. With three sessions a week of about 40 minutes, it should be enough.

2. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a set of practices inspired by Vipassana meditation, a traditional activity in many countries.a traditional activity in many regions of South Asia. These exercises allow us to put our problems into perspective and not let fear and anxiety paralyze us in the face of problems we know we have. It is often used as a tool against stress and persistent low mood.

3. Sleep well

Lack of sleep has a serious impact on our ability to regulate emotions and reasoning.. In fact, its negative effects on the human mind are so significant that not sleeping well increases the risk of developing a wide variety of psychological disorders, especially depression, addictions and anxiety.

4. Keep your attention fixed on a goal

In times of crisis it is easy to have the feeling of wasting time, and this greatly alters the emotional balance: it usually goes hand in hand with self-esteem problems, with thoughts like "I am worthless" not knowing what to do in the absence of alternatives to choose from when it comes to work, leisure, etc. Therefore, in order not to lose direction, it is important not to stop carrying out projects and not to stop learning, not only professionally, but above all personally.

5. Combat rumination

Psychological rumination is what we popularly call "not being able to get something out of your head", especially when that thought or mental image has a disturbing effect, generates anguish or uneasiness. With the passage of time, rumination weakens us, and no matter how hard we try to stop thinking about it, we cannot: trying to suppress its presence makes us become more obsessed with its content, giving it the power to influence us..

Fortunately, it is not impossible to make rumination leave us alone. For example, Mindfulness exercises help to make those recurring thoughts go away, as well as certain techniques of cognitive-behavioral therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. The key is not to try to eliminate the rumination, but to temporarily accept its presence and the discomfort it generates, but without giving it more prominence than necessary and being able to focus the mind on other things.

6. Do not forget personal relationships

It is much easier to cope with the emotional impact of the crisis if we do it in the company of people who are important to us. In fact, while people who tend to socialize more tend to be happier, loneliness is associated with both physical and psychopathological health problems..

Of course, having a life rich in social relationships does not imply having many friends; it simply means having people we trust and with whom we can share free time.

Are you looking for psychological help in the crisis?

If you need professional psychological assistance, you can contact our team of psychologists. At PsicoTools we offer face-to-face and online psychotherapy services for people of all ages. for people of all ages, as well as training workshops in subjects related to emotional management: Mindfulness, relaxation techniques, etc. To see our contact details, click on this link.

Bibliographical references:

• Dimidjian, S.; Hollon, S. D.; Dobson, K. S.; Schmaling, K. B.; Kohlenberg, R. J.; Addis, M. E., & Jacobson, N. S. (2006). Randomized trial of behavioral activation, cognitive therapy, and Antidepressant medication in the acute treatment of adults with major depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74(4): pp. 658 - 670
• Freeman, D. et. al. (2017). The effects of improving sleep on mental health (OASIS): a randomised controlled trial with mediation analysis. Lancet Psychiatry, 4(10): pp. 749 - 758.
• Garland, E.L. & Howard, M.O. (2018). Mindfulness-based treatment of addiction: current state of the field and envisioning the next wave of research. Addict Sci Clin Pract. 2018;13(1): 14.
• Merino, M. et al. (2016). Sueño saludable: evidencias y guías de actuación. Documento oficial de la Sociedad Española de Sueño, 63(2).
• Vallès, A., y Vallès, C. (2000): Inteligencia emocional: Aplicaciones educativas. Madrid, Editorial EOS.