Conquering Emotional Turmoil During a Pandemic
2gethr joined forces with Coreen D’Souza over a webinar to understand and overcome emotional distress
The current pandemic has been a challenge for all of us. The fear of getting infected by the novel coronavirus or seeing people around us struggle with the symptoms is a trial in itself. But it is not limited to these immediate consequences alone. While some are struggling to keep their jobs, others find themselves completely alone. The many problems — from financial to medical — evoke many emotions.
As we try to juggle work and life, we are also navigating the unknown waters of undefined emotions within us. Each one of us knows social distancing is the most important step towards a COVID-free world, but the heroes within us are struggling every day as we try to save the world from ourselves.
Seeing everyone around us wrestle this novel emotional crisis, including ourselves, 2gethr decided it was time to seek some professional help. Our employees and members needed expert guidance to steer them towards better emotional health.
We approached Coreen D’Souza, a counseling psychologist and therapist, to conduct the webinar on Conquering Emotional Turmoil During a Pandemic on 30th April, 2020. A member of the VLegal faculty in Bangalore, Coreen also runs her clinic. Her workshops have helped countless people overcome life’s obstacles through her understanding of human behavior and proficiency in numerous therapies.
Embrace your emotions; they are a part of YOU
The objective of the webinar was to inculcate the belief that the pandemic is a unique situation to everyone and no one is spared from its emotional duress.
Coreen asserted that realizing this is the first step towards a better perception of our mental state. Until and unless we accept ourselves as emotional beings, we cannot learn how to manage them.
The hour-long session was a much-needed insight into the unfamiliar territories we are being shoved to by the pandemic. Coreen structured the session into two important parts:
- the relationship between emotions and human beings;
- how to cope with emotions.
She used music as a tool to engage with the audience and evoke curiosity in them — the purpose of this was to instill the realization that emotions are an integral part of human lives, and we experience varied shades of emotions every moment of our waking lives.
Coreen comforted the audience repeatedly saying that human beings are designed to manage small amounts of stress and fear, and this only makes us stronger. Her reassurance to feel and experience emotions sans guilt or fear also brought up the other instance of those not seeming to experience such emotions. She maintained that everyone feels; some less, others more. And dealing with emotions is a continuous process of learning and unlearning.
How to cope with the pandemic?
Our emotions in non-pandemic circumstances itself is a rollercoaster ride, more so during a pandemic. In such unique situations, a lot is at stake and we need to unlearn how we handle emotions.
The manner of dealing with emotions origin from several causes. From social conditioning to our physical and social environments — a lot determines our emotional quotient. Although the discovery of emotional intelligence has been quite recent, its importance to our growth is undeniable.
Coreen listed out a series of pointers to guide the audience to adapt to the emotional stress of the raging pandemic. She considered multiple scenarios and dispositions before streamlining these guidelines. Although no one is the same, our basic emotional triggers tend to be similar. Based on these assumptions, Coreen advised the following:
1. Feel your emotions; don’t hide them
2. Be reasonable; don’t give in to the paranoia
3. Overcome your ego; ask for help
4. Bond with your community
5. Take things slow; avoid burning yourself out
6. Stay active; don’t get swayed into ennui
7. Take a break
Don’t stop believing
The key to a healthy emotional balance is practicing positivity and avoiding overthinking. Coreen’s suggestions to maintain the equilibrium were simple and effective.
She urged the audience to pause for a moment and recall the things that made them happy in a pre-lockdown era. She asked everyone to think of those happy thoughts as a morning prayer every day.
The key takeaway of the session was a mantra that Coreen asked those present to memorize. She stressed that everyone must remember these words whenever overthinking causes us to lose our present and fear the future.
I will cross the bridge when I come to it.
While most of us are groping in the dark while crossing the cryptic alleys of life, we must remember that no matter what, we are still moving forward.
The only thing keeping us going is our faith in ourselves and on those around us. We are all on the same boat, perhaps tipping too close to the ocean once in a while and coming close to losing ourselves but never letting go.
We must have faith in us to overcome all hurdles; a promise of a better tomorrow motivating us to brave all hurdles when the time is tough and not letting ourselves lose ourselves before that.
