Psychological Consequences of Confinement before COVID-19

These are some of the effects that confinement can have on our mental health.

The first measure adopted by all the governments of the world as a result of the health alert due to the spread of the coronavirus has been to decree the confinement of people in their homes in order to curb mass contagions. But human beings are social beings, i.e. we need contact with others for our survival.

That is why quarantine is an experience for us, quarantine is an unpleasant experience for us because it is an obligatory social isolation that implies a break with our daily lives, our routines, our leisure time, our leisure time and our social life.Our routines, our leisure time, our relationships with friends, partners, family, our loss of freedom, the onset of boredom, etc.

Suddenly, our life has come to a standstill and we have to temporarily adapt to a new unimaginable situation and all the possible consequences generated by it: the loss of a job, the reduction of monthly income or managing the fact of living 24 hours a day with our partner, children, relatives or roommates.

Indeed, this situation has a powerful psychological burden, this situation has a powerful psychological impact on us that can lead us to feel great anguish and sadness.. For that reason, certain emotional changes will be present in us while the confinement lasts, although it does not have to be always.

• Article related: "Mental health: definition and characteristics according to the psychology".

Psychological consequences of confinement

It is possible that at certain times our mood remains stable, bordering on normal, but the longer the confinement is extended, more unpleasant emotional disorders may appear, such as sadness, loneliness, frustration, boredom, nervousness, fear or anger, but also irritability, uncertainty, anguish, worry, stress, depressive symptoms and/or sleep problems, among others.

At the very least, anxiety, fear and apathy can be the main protagonists of our mood these days. of our mood during these days of confinement. These emotions are a consequence of uncertainty. Above all, due to the lack of knowledge.

Indeed, if there is something that generates this situation, it is uncertainty. We need to know what is going to happen next and thus be able to anticipate what is going to happen. We humans are constantly trying to control everything around us. But this, as we well know, is sometimes not possible.

Thus, this failed attempt to control will generate more anxiety. This will cause us to feel that there is nothing we can do, but only wait and hope.. This situation can generate frustration. This uncertainty can lead to a constant search for information, feeling these days an over-information. Catastrophic and anticipatory thoughts may also appear, putting us in the worst and most improbable scenarios, which will generate great discomfort.

As the days go by, these emotions may vary and even become more intense, but, even so, we must be aware that all these emotions that we may feel are reactions to the worst and most improbable scenarios. all these emotions that we may feel are normal reactions to this exceptional situation. It is therefore important to identify them, but not to feed them or let ourselves be carried away by them.

Most experts agree in pointing out a series of negative psychological effects associated with quarantines, such as post-traumatic stress or irritability. These psychological effects can still be detected months or years later. They therefore suggest that authorities need to ensure that effective mitigation measures are implemented as part of the quarantine planning process. as part of the quarantine planning process.

Inactivity these days, if some form of exercise has not been decided upon, can also lead to inappropriate eating behaviors in both children and the elderly, and thus, the onset of obesity, or at least a few extra kilos..

The most vulnerable groups

Psychological disorders also have a particular impact on healthcare workers, as they are one of the sectors of the population most exposed to the virus. Healthcare workers may suffer more severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder than members of the general public.. They may also experience emotions related to frustration, guilt, helplessness, loneliness and sadness.

Another important at-risk group is citizens who are highly affected by the financial impact of confinement, due to loss of employment and inability to meet expenses such as mortgage, rent, or bills. This financial loss creates severe socio-economic distressand is a risk factor for developing symptoms of mental and anxiety disorders even several months after quarantine.

Children are among the most affected groups, as they may theoretically be more vulnerable to psychological disorders due to quarantine. The tense wait to go out into the street is a longing that becomes a physical and emotional necessity for everyone, but especially for the youngest ones who are confined to their homes. for everyone, but especially for the little ones who wait confined to their homes. Although it is true that since April 27 they have been able to go out for a walk, which is very positive.

That does not mean that they do not have at times episodes of sadness, sensitivity, increased anxiety or increased irritability. In addition, it would be it would be normal for them to be more disobedient or rebellious in the face of the rules imposed by their parents when it comes to doing homework or homework. homework or schedules, for example.

Prolonged confinement and social isolation can also have more serious psychological consequences in children and adolescents. This stage of compulsory unfreedom may be the antecedent of anxiety and mood disorders that would begin to manifest with regressions to earlier stages of development, such as bedwetting or fear of getting sick, outbursts of aggression or difficulty falling asleep. And this in children whose previous functioning was adequate.

Even so, having said all this, a situation in which there is no room for movement, such as a curfew or a state of emergency, is not the same as the one we are currently experiencing, since there are certain routines of daily life, such as going to do the basic shopping or to work, as the case may be, that are still being carried out. This limits to a certain extent the feeling of being overwhelmed and confined.

On the other hand, confinement will be more detrimental to children from disadvantaged families, for the simple reason that substandard housing makes daily activities and, therefore, coexistence more difficult.

What can be done to minimize the effects of confinement?

Confinement, strange as it may seem, also generates a positive and calming effect that generates a positive and calming effect that can alleviate these other negative effects.. This positive effect is generated when we think that the quarantine is temporary and that by staying at home we are contributing to control the crisis and avoid the death of people, in addition to the fact that we have an apparently safe place like our home. Feeling useful, even passively, helps us psychologically.

We live in a world of constant hustle and bustle, in a society of constant rush, demands and obligations. But confinement by the coronavirus has allowed us to take a mandatory break.

We were installed in a comfortably happy world, generally speaking, and now we see that we are vulnerable and fragile. This is beyond us emotionally, health-wise and socially. But for our sake, we must be able to learn from this situation and cope with it using key tools that we all have at handWe must be able to learn from this situation and cope with it using key instruments that we all have at hand: affection for our most important relationships and the meaning of life as essential priorities to be happy and to share it.

Now, more than ever, our house is not only our home, but also our place of work, leisure, sport and rest. But far from seeing it as something negative, we can turn it around and use it to our advantage.

Since quarantine began, psychologists are continually launching positive advice and strategies to use to manage confinement. The most important and essential thing is that we should not let the days go by arbitrarily, because in this way the feeling of internal chaos can be favored and greatly increased..

The first proposal is to confront this situation of confinement by creating daily routines. That is to say, routines such as establishing schedules, not neglecting hygiene habits (neither personal nor household), not spending the whole day in pajamas, organizing household chores as a family, taking care of food and doing some physical activity.

This routine is especially important for families with children. It is necessary to maintain their schedules of getting up, meals, grooming, homework and leisure activities as a family..

Children should be made to understand that confinement is not a punishment but an emergency. Explain to them, in order to give them a meaning to this lack of freedom, that this is being done for the common good, that it is beneficial for all. But also that positive things can come out of it, for example, being together or having more time to play and talk.

In addition to routines, psychologists emphasize that it is also convenient to establish individual or shared leisure activities such as reading, board games, painting, sewing or crafts, depending on the tastes of each person.

Living together

Another aspect that can be positive and very useful is to make use of the to use the possibilities offered by new technologies.. We can use these to keep in touch with family and/or friends through phone calls, video calls, voice messages or WhatsApp. For many people, especially those who live alone, telecommunications will be the best therapy.

On the other hand, we can also take advantage of new technologies to carry out virtual activities offered by many institutions, companies and spaces such as visits to museums, access to theater, concerts, movies, series, exhibitions, etc. A great opportunity.

However, we must not neglect the we must not neglect the best coexistence with the people around us.. For this it may be important to establish clear rules for the proper functioning of the house and spaces. Nor should we neglect to also have time for oneself. As in most of the occasions it is difficult for us to spend time with the family or people with whom we live together, the confinement can provide us with an excellent moment to get closer, to unite more and to be interested in the things of the others.

We can take advantage of these moments to dedicate some time to do all those things that we always leave pending due to lack of time, but that we have always wanted to do. Not only that, it can be a great opportunity to use creativity or even open up to different options to be used in the future or for personal satisfaction.

Sharing household chores among all family members, or those who are living together at the time of confinement, is also beneficial. It can relieve tension and distract. In the case, for example, that we are caring for small children, it is important to take turns in this care and generate individual "little moments" for oneself.

If possible, it is preferable to use different rooms for each individual, couple or group activity of the day. Thus, the room in which we work or study should be different from the room we use for rest or leisure time. It is important that there is a physical difference for each activity because this will allow us to better disconnect at each moment of the activity we have just done from the one we want to start.

However, we should not be too demanding on ourselves, we should not be too demanding with ourselves because it could be counterproductive.. That is to say, it is very important to consider routines and activities, but that these are simple, pleasant (in the majority of cases) and that they have continuity, that is to say, to propose a task to be able to fulfill it. For example, reading a chapter of a book every day or doing a simple table of exercises. If we manage to achieve our goals we will feel more confident and calm.

However, there is no doubt that living together for so many hours a day and for so many days in a row can also be a double-edged sword and a focus of complicated situations. Frictions and quarrels appear both with the couple and with the children and often having to telework at the same time.

Recommended habits

What psychologists do not recommend during this period of confinement is in any way over-information about the coronavirus pandemic.. This excess of information through its different channels (television, radio, internet, chats, WhatsApp, etc) can generate negative consequences on our state of physical and emotional health.

This overinformation can lead us to a state of permanent alertness, stress, anguish, anxiety or worry, since this consumption leads us to make continuous and different checks in the media and seek constant updates of new information.

On the other hand, this eagerness to be informed and to inform can also lead us to consume and spread hoaxes that are of no benefit to anyone. In the same way, this excess of data can lead us to carry out constant checks on our physical health about our physical health (by constantly taking our temperature, for example).

These checks increase our anxiety levels, causing us to experience different symptoms that can be confused with the symptoms caused by COVID-19, thus generating a certain hypochondria, understood as a certain irrational fear and worry of being infected.

Another advice that psychologists give us about confinement and the pandemic is to try to avoid catastrophic thoughts as much as possible, trying to keep ourselves always in the present and dealing with what is happening day by day, without anticipating what may happen. without anticipating what may happen tomorrow because that favors anxiety.

In this sense, it can help us and come in handy to find a moment every day to do some meditation, yoga, Mindfulness or relaxation strategies, because that will help us to place ourselves in the present and calm down.

Probably, by following all these guidelines and tips we will be able to get rid of those feelings of sadness, anxiety, fear and difficulties to fall asleep to which the COVID-19 confinement may have led us.