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COVID 19 PANDEMIC: MANAGING STRESS FACING ADAPTATION OF NEW HABITS
12/06/2020 Views : 214
Ida Aju Kusuma Wardani
Although many people experience emotional distress during the covid19 pandemic, each person reacts differently to stress. Reactions can range from fear, anxiety, depression, anger to even not caring about covid19. On one spectrum, some people will ignore or deny risk without thinking. And do not want to be involved in efforts to break the spread of covid19 that has been determined by the government. This can lead to mental disorders triggered by stressors related to the covid19 pandemic, including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and severe depressive or sad disturbances that can occur in people who have lost loved ones during the covid19 pandemic.
Currently entering the adaptation of Covid19's new habit of living "side by side" with covid19 while carrying out activities as usual, of course complying with the Covid19 prevention protocol. Apply Covid19's basic preventative measures, such as washing hands with flowing water and soap or with a hand sanitizer, using a mask to avoid touching the face directly in each activity and applying physical distancing 1 meter away. But in some people do not implement these steps one of them because of job loss that causes emotional ups and downs. Some people losing their jobs often produce the same suffering as losing a loved one. Covid pandemic19 according to Kubller Roos emotional stages through stages, among others; 1. Denial Stage, 2. Angry Stage, 3. Bargaining Stage, 4. Depression Stage and 5. Accepting Stage. In order to adapt to new habits the person is at the stage of accepting side by side with covid19 without pressure.
Covid19 pandemic can be a scapegoat. Pandemic-related distress can fade without intervention, just as the emotional effects of other stressors can improve over time depending on the coping. People who are only worried or slightly depressed about a pandemic, without any signs of dysfunction, may be given training in how to deal with stress such as relaxation. For people who experience a degree of distress associated with severe pandemics, more intensive interventions are needed. Examples of disorders that require clinical attention include depressive disorders and PTSD that are triggered by the loss of a loved one or other traumatic events (job loss) and generalized anxiety disorder that may be triggered (or exacerbated) by uncertainty related to a pandemic. Therefore, treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are needed to reduce susceptibility to stress and negative emotions so as to balance any stress-related immune suppression or treatment with certain medications (for example: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). Psychological intervention can be useful in the early stages of a pandemic, when anxiety and anxiety tend to be high. Negative emotions that arise will cause a decreased immune response and this will be more susceptible to covid19.
Managing stress by adapting new habits is:
1. Healthy lifestyle: including proper diet, exercise, sleep and rest are good defenses against covid19. Avoid alcohol and substances that make you drunk
2. Build endurance; resilience is the process of adaptation in the face of adversity. Use skills to help manage concerns (e.g. making new dishes, etc.)
3. Have a structured plan when conducting activities (eg shopping, making notes to be purchased, working if it can still be done at home, etc.)
4. Open communication with family members about terminating the spread of covid19
5. Restrict face-to-face transfer to social networks (online webex, google meet, zoom, videocall, etc.)
When to seek help? Signs of anxiety, insomnia, avoiding social contact, constantly seeking certainty about one's own health to friends, family or the internet, prevention of excessive hygiene (repeatedly washing hands, using face masks at home)