Corona – How do we deal with it? And how do we strengthen ourselves?
For most of us, the current period is a very stressful one: on top of our 'normal' problems, we're also experiencing a situation that none of us has experience with and for which there are no 'best practice examples' we can draw upon.
Since the beginning of the pandemic more than half a year ago, our most important basic needs have not been met: the feeling of being secure and having control over our lives, the desire for connection and social contact, and the need to be free. Instead we're facing uncertainty, are afraid, and are feeling helpless and in a permanent state of stress.
Different feelings can arise as a result. Often there is a feeling of powerlessness and helplessness, but there can also be anger, resentment and despair. This can lead to ongoing depression and lack of motivation. At this point, it is important to realise the following:
These are all normal reactions to a situation that is not normal.
So what can we do?
We are asking you as students: What is helping you get through this challenging time? What has possibly even changed for the better? Please feel free to send us the tips and experiences that you would like to share with your fellow students via studienberatung (@) haw-hamburg.de.
Some recommendations from us
Recognise
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... that these reactions and feelings are normal.
Accept
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... that the situation is the way it is and learn to deal with it. Try to stop fighting what cannot be changed and wearing yourself down over things that are not under your control. This is one of the most difficult tasks at the moment, because everything in us wants to resist.
Stick together
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.... instead of working against one another to get through the pandemic. It was never so clear that we are all connected, that we're all in the same boat. Giving a gift, whether it's your time or small presents, increases the feeling of connection and your own feelings of well-being – even more than when you buy yourself a gift.
Structure helps
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We are spending a lot of time at home, and for many of us, the normal structure of our day is no longer there.
Some kind of daily plan can help restore a feeling of control and self-efficacy in our lives. Here it is important to set clear, reachable goals and to ensure a balance between obligatory tasks and relaxation/leisure time.
Self-empowerment to counter powerlessness
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Here it helps to reduce your 'news consumption' to two times a day, as the news can increase feelings of helplessless. Instead it can be helpful to concentrate on the things you can control. These can be your own life or things in your personal environment.
Mini-adventures to fight uncertainty
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How can you have experiences (and anchor them in your consciousness) which show you that uncertainty is not threatening per se? The core worry behind uncertainty is always 'something bad will happen that I can't handle'. This fundamental attitude can't be changed rationally, only through positive experiences. This is why the psychologist Nils Spitzer recommends finding mini-adventures on a daily basis: eating something you've never tried before, sleeping in different spot in the apartment, or taking a different route to go shopping. What can you learn? Our fears are sometimes unfounded and uncertainty doesn't have to be threatening.
Self-care
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Taking good care of yourself is the basis of well-being and helps enormously in strengthening your resilience. Here are some ideas:
- Cook your favourite food
- Listen closely to some music
- Get outside and move (or do it inside)
- Ask yourself what you used to enjoy doing
- Rediscover old passions
- Make sure you get enough sleep on a regular basis
- Eat healthy food
- Learn to meditate (the Mindspace app is good for beginners)
- See yourself (and treat yourself) as your own best friend
- Try to maintain a sense of HUMOUR and laugh a lot
