How does the new normal affect our health?

The pandemic has several dimensions. The first wave of the crisis affected the Physical Health, the second to the economy and now comes the third wave, the one related to the mental health, which has to do with the readjustment of everything that happened.

Once the number of infections is controlled and the economy begins to show slight signs of rebound, it is essential to attend to the consequences of these impacts on an emotional level and to be able to rebuild them.

Consequences of the crisis

The devastation of the crisis has several psychological repercussions:

• Anxiety, stress, insomnia, and depression: in response to deprivation due to confinement or its implications (ERTES, difficulties in teleworking, limitation of movement, derived intra-family problems…).
• Duel: thousands of families have been broken by loss of a loved one due to covid-19. These duels have added difficulties with respect to conventional grief: impotence due to not being able to accompany the family member in the final phase of the illness, impossibility of a funeral, physical isolation or limitations in the contact of the bereaved with family and friends after the loss due to confinement, etc.
• Cabin syndrome: As the progressive deconfinement progressed, it was detected in more and more people for fear of contagion. It is necessary to make a progressive opening of limits and create a new form of adaptation to be able to normalize the day-to-day of the person. It is a syndrome that has also been detected before in people who have been kidnapped, imprisoned or hospitalized for a long time.
• Hypochondria and negative thoughts obsessive.
• Worsening of previous psychopathology.

10 Tips to Adapt to the New Normal

After a period of instability it is important take decisions (internal and external) that enable a new way of life, adapt to the new reality. Decisions generate empowerment: what do you want to become when this is all over?

• Take realistic security measures. Without denying reality or exaggerating (hyperprotection can lead to hypochondria).
• Expose yourself gradually whatever distresses you, will make you gain control of the situation.
• Practice flexibility. Run away from dichotomous thinking (black / white) and see that there are many different ways of doing things and living. Open yourself to new options.
• Exploit your resources and capabilities. What are your strengths? What has helped you cope so far?
• See the day. In a world where demands are constantly changing it is important to be able to root for what is possible today, and fight for it.
• Cultivate your prosocial attitudes (gratitude, empathy, collaboration ...). The crisis affects us all, enhance the social conscience It will help you to be more committed to your project of a new normal and to better understand the situation.
• Prioritize. What is really important?
• Take stock of the crisis. How has all this helped me? What lessons can I learn?
• Enjoy what is possible to do.
• . Remember that the objective is not to need anything or anyone, but to work for your autonomy, and for that, others are also part.

3 Fundamental concepts for adaptation

Resilience capacity

It is the ability to cope with adversity, inherent capacity of the human being. Its objective is the transition from one way of living to another, from the creation of a new meaning. Psychological flexibility is essential. Viktor Frankl is undoubtedly one of the great exponents of this concept.

The concept or "resistant personality" of Kobasa.

It involves tackling problems in a transformational way. It is characterized by the ability to influence external events from the commitment and involvement towards goals, reinforcing the relationship with others. They understand change as a challenge and not as a threat. They modify their perceptions of stressful events to make them more manageable.

The sense of coherence.

Term defined by Antonovsky that refers to the attempt of the person to think that their environment is understandable, that it makes sense and that they can intervene in it.

• One of the consequences of this health crisis is the emotional impact.
• There is a fear of going out for fear of contagion, once the de-escalation has started.
• Anxiety, stress, insomnia and depression are also the result of deprivation due to confinement or its implications (teleworking, dealing with ERTE, a family problem ...)

Health Psychologist and Psychotherapist at Teladoc Health