How to preserve emotional well-being during de-escalation

Several recommendations for adapting emotionally to the return to normality.

COVID-19 has changed our reality in many ways.. Our individual and collective behavior has been affected suddenly, unexpectedly and imposed by this global pandemic. After months of confinement as a safety and health protection measure, we are now facing the process of de-escalation.

The de-escalation of this confinement is a process by which we intend to to recover in a progressive and cautious way a normalized functioning and return to normality, always taking into account the main objective of de-escalation.always keeping in mind the safety of our health as the main objective.

This new process of "deconfinement" implies a change in our lives and routines, a new reality, which implies an adaptation to this new change as a part of the process. Each of the phases of de-escalation from confinement will entail a change in routines and behaviors that in turn will generate emotional and cognitive changes in the individual. in the individual.

How can deconfinement affect us psychologically?

Our psychological state is affected by what happens around us. When we experience a radical and unexpected change, our emotions are affected and with them our stability and psychological well-being.

This process that we are currently living can generate some emotional instability; therefore, the first thing to do is to know what emotions and feelings we are experiencing, the first thing to do is to know what emotions and feelings can approach us in this new situation of adaptation..

We may experience an increased concern about the contagion of COVID-19, anxiety about the situation of continuous uncertainty that we live in, fear of recovering part of normality at this time, fear for our well-being and that of our family and friends.....

In other cases, we experience each change with joy and a great desire to reconnect with our loved ones, eager to go out and recover part of "normal life".

There are also cases of people who feel nothing but indifference, sadness or low spirits about the changes occurring in their lives. about the changes that occur in the different phases. This can cause us a feeling of contradiction, because we have been longing to recover normality, but now we feel disconsolate and unmotivated.

Keys to maintain emotional balance during deconfinement.

Once the difficulties that this de-escalation process may entail have been established, it is convenient to have the necessary strategies to face the situation of change in the most adaptive way possible. It is very important to have certain strategies for its management and in this way avoid part of the suffering that generates the non-adaptation to the changes in the environment that surrounds us.

1. Establish routines and organize your behaviors.

The fear of contagion as we advance in the phases can be greater, and that can lead us to perform maladaptive behaviors, generating high levels of anxiety..

Therefore, if we adopt certain preventive measures and create a habit (always go out with a mask, wear disinfectant gel, keep a social distance...), in addition to being protected, we will feel calm and relief, since the measures are established consciously and objectively.

2. Do physical activity

Some of us have already established a small daily routine of physical exercise during this confinement, and now we can go out we should take advantage of this routine or part of it outdoors; this will be of great benefit to our mood. will be of great benefit to our state of mind..

3. Re-establish and adjust your daily routines and update your goals.

It is likely that after these months, the vast majority of us have undergone several changes in different areas of life, and as we go through phases of deconfinement, these happen more quickly.

For this reason, it is important to adapt and be flexible, it is important to adapt and be flexible according to the needs of the moment, although with a marked line.but with a marked line. And do not forget the importance of combining the new obligations and the new leisure, this combination provides us with emotional stability in the long term.

4. It recovers the social relations

We know the importance and emotional need to socialize, and despite the confinement, many of us have gradually adapted to new forms of communication to be close to our loved ones despite the social distancing, but it is important not to let ourselves be carried away by comfort or fear of contagion, to avoid social isolation. it is important not to let ourselves be carried away by comfort or fear of contagion, to avoid social isolation and the consequences it can generate in the medium term. and the consequences that this can have in the medium to long term.

5. Get information from reliable sources and what is necessary.

Keeping informed is necessary, but over-information and information from unofficial sources is one of the main causes of the widespread fear and distress that and of the anguish generated by uncertainty and contradictory and excessive information.

6. Ask for help

Every process of change entails its own process of adaptation in a natural way, adaptation allows us to evolve.

But depending on the characteristics of the change (voluntariness, immediacy...) and the individual differences of each individual, the situation will provoke a different response to the change, which may be adaptive or maladaptive: it will depend on the coping strategies and resources that each individual possesses..

If you consider that you do not have these resources and tools, do not hesitate to contact a professional and ask for help.