Psychological Power To Get Out Of The Lockdown

Millions of people around the world are becoming aware that they are entering a new phase in this difficult pandemic context. It’s time to prepare to get out of the lockdown, which many countries have already started.

It’s a moment we’ve all been waiting for, but the hope it brings us is also mixed with inevitable uncertainty. In one way or another, we all know deep down that things will be different for a long time to come.

Ernesto Sábato said in one of his books that what once was, cannot be anymore. People and situations can never go back to what they were yesterday. There may be a lot of truth in that.

We cannot deny that great changes will take place in the future. However, this does not mean that what lies ahead of us has to be worse than the society we once had. We are facing a change that means we all need to prepare for new skills and approaches.

If home isolation has tested (and continues to test) our psychological resistance, then gradually entering the new social reality that awaits us can take us by surprise as well. Being prepared and having some resources on hand can certainly help us. So let’s take a closer look at this below.

Strategies to Prepare to Exit the Lockdown

One thing that has helped us during this lockdown is knowing that we are not alone in this crisis. This has been a great comfort to us in days when fear, anxiety and frustration were more prevalent than usual.

We have shared these times of great hardship. It is a truly global phenomenon and knowing that we are not alone should be a great relief to us. In the same way, this new phase also becomes a shared experience.

We all need to prepare now to get out of the lockdown. Many European countries and American States have already started this process. In various ways, they make gentle changes that give people some breathing room. They will also help get the economy going, with all the appropriate security measures.

Some parts of the United States and several Latin American countries such as Mexico are still going through their toughest times.

Be that as it may, we all need to start working on our psychological strengths that will help us cope with the process of exiting the lockdown more easily. Let’s discover the keys to achieving this.

Responsibility as a tool to manage anxiety

The World Health Organization (WHO) is still giving us a clear warning: the pandemic is not over yet. This means that we will have to live with the virus for months until there is a vaccine. However, this can cause two dangerous situations.

The first is that this (relative) return to normalcy makes us forget the risk. Many people want to return to their social lives and old routines. These can cover and reduce people’s awareness of the danger that still exists.

This is something we should be aware of. To prepare to exit the lockdown, we must keep in mind that the risk of infection is still there.

The second situation that can arise is fear, a constant fear of contamination. In this case, we must be aware of our personal responsibility. The only way to contain the virus so that restrictions can be lifted is to be responsible and take the relevant hygiene and protection measures.

Mental flexibility and acceptance of change

Philosophers, sociologists and psychologists are trying to predict what the world will be like after the pandemic. At the moment we can only speculate. Before this time arrives, however, we will have an in-between period that will however be much more complex.

We are talking about the period between the gradual lifting of restrictions and the arrival of the vaccine. So, in addition to the personal responsibility we mentioned above, we must do everything we can to be mentally flexible and open to change. How? By becoming aware of the following processes:

• Acceptance. Your former way of life will not return as you would like, and the changes can make life unrecognizable in some cases.
• The ability to accept and deal with negative emotions. To prepare yourself to leave the lockdown, it is essential that you know how to deal with emotions such as frustration, anger and sadness. It’s normal to feel this way, but these internal emotions should not take over. You can’t change mentally if you get stuck in your frustrations.
• Amendment. Once you become aware of the new reality, you must realize that you can never fight it. You just have to adapt.
• Flexibility. In the midst of these new situations, you need to be able to continue to prepare projects and set goals. These processes require mental flexibility, creativity and the ability to innovate.

Preparing yourself to leave the lockdown: hope, resilience and critical awareness

Eudald Carbonell, one of humanity’s most prestigious archaeologists, explained that the current pandemic requires a high level of critical awareness from all of us.

The process of de-escalation (the exit strategy) and the gradual advance towards the new reality that awaits us requires a lot of rethinking. Both on a social and global level.

During this time, many of us have had the opportunity to reflect on many aspects of our lives. It has been a time to take a good look in the mirror, get to know ourselves better, and even put ourselves to the test.

All of this should help bring about real change. Changes that have a global impact and hopefully create a better society.

On the other hand, for these changes to actually take place, we need to achieve an appropriate internal balance. Yes, it is legitimate to feel fear and uncertainty about the future.

However, we can and must act, despite our fear. We can do this by acting with hope and with a clear and resilient mindset. Humanity has a great opportunity to move forward. Let’s do our part too!