PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESSOR, COVID-19

Let us talk about how our brains are processing about this Covid-19 pandemic. If I may ask, do we process it the same way or differently? (Has it affected our lives the same way or differently?)  Well, I believe it’s a worldwide experience that may have different impacts on every individual. I mean, some people are experiencing loss of their loved ones, economic downfall, social anxiety, stress, hunger, and others are living their lives like nothing has changed, just like a fine wine (which is not a bad thing). But regardless of all that, do we really get what this pandemic can do to us psychologically? I guess not. Because at the end of the day, some of you guys might say it doesn’t matter as long as we going to survive this. After all, psychology is some white people shit (that’s what y’all tell yourself to sleep). Guys stop lying to yourselves, because your mental health has a great impact on how you behave, think, perceive, and function in your life. So let’s get serious because;

COVID-19 IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESSOR

It is a psychological stressor because it forces people to accommodate or change (adjust) since there isn’t any cure until now. Most people take stress as part of life (every person is stressed about something at some point) but they have no idea that stress is the factor in five out of the six leading causes of death since it cause heart disease, cancer, stroke, lower respiratory disease, and accidents.

It is also said that the impact of stress on health appears to depend not only on how people think about particular stressors but to some extent, on how they think about and react to the world in general (Prior, 1999). IT’S NOT ONLY ABOUT HOW WE THINK ABOUT THIS PANDEMIC BUT ALSO HOW WE REACT IN GENERAL HAS EFFECTS ON US. So what has been your response to this pandemic? Do you binge-watch or eat? Do you make new plans for the future? Do you take online classes? Are you taking this as an advantage to get back in shape by working out? Are you losing it? WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE?

Many of us have decided to stay at home during this period, some people are working from home, students don’t go to school and others still have the opportunity to study online while others don’t. Regardless of where we are, what we do or don’t, WE ALL HAVE MIXED EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS AT SOME POINT. We had BIG plans for this year and some of us have no idea when we are going to fulfill them. It’s all MESSED UP! But how about we take all this from a whole different perspective? How about we get the negative vibe or energy flowing out of our veins?  How about we think of it as a time to introspect? Learning new skills and knowledge? How about we dream bigger than we ever dreamt before? Because in the end, what we think or perceive affects how we behave or act. This means that how we view this pandemic has an impact on how we act or behave. For instance, if you see it as the road to the end of the world, you’ll obviously lose hope and stop pursuing your dreams. I don’t want this to happen to any of you guys, which is why I’m going to give you some coping strategies that’ll help you to get yourself back on feet and get through this pandemic with new legit ideas of what you are going to do next with your life.

COPING STRATEGIES

There are four coping strategies which are a cognitive coping strategy, emotional coping strategy, behavioral coping strategy and lastly, physical coping strategy. Let’s start with:

·      Cognitive coping strategy

This strategy changes how people interpret stimuli and events. They help people to think more calmly, rationally & constructively in the face of stress and may generate a more helpful emotional state.  You can learn by practicing constructive thoughts such as, “there is no cure but all I can do is protect myself the best I can”. This strategy doesn’t eliminate Covid-19 but it can help to perceive it as less threatening and thus make it less disruptive.

·      Emotional coping strategy

This is done by seeking and obtaining social support from others. It can be friends, family and it necessarily doesn’t have to be physical since social distancing has to be maintained, but it only takes one call to help your loved one. NOT PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCE INCREASES SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CORONA. So by seeking help from your loved ones can help you on how to approach this pandemic.

·      Behavioral coping strategy

This involves changing behavior in ways that minimize the impact of Covid-19. For instance, time management can be one of the things that you can change in a more positive manner (how you spend your time). Do you spend your time in a more productive way? Or you’ve recently decided to be a sleepyhead?

·      Physical coping strategy

This can involve physical exercises, meditation.

Moreover, there are two questions that I would love to leave you guys with, that will act as a reminder whenever you feel like losing track of how you view this pandemic and self-protection.  Firstly, you need to perceive the seriousness of the illness and the consequences of having it (COVID-19) by asking yourself this question, how seriously do I think corona is, and what will happen if I get it?

Secondly, you need to have the belief that a particular behavior change will reduce the threat of this pandemic by asking yourself the following question; will maintaining social distancing and personal hygiene prevents me from getting corona?

Let’s do our best in protecting our selves and families by following the instructions provided by health specialists and let us also take advantage of this time by pursuing our Living God, because he never FAILS and his love is RELENTLESS. He’ll get us through this scary period safely and healthy (physically, emotionally and spiritually). WE’VE GOT THIS AND HE’S GOT US!

                                                                                                              Jajaapsycho.