Why there is no strength at all during quarantine and what to do about it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

This is not laziness. This is physiology.

How our psyche behaves during prolonged stress

Stress is considered by many to be more of a psychological concept. That is why they do not take him too seriously: well, think, he got nervous, and who is not nervous now, right?

However, in fact, this condition is directly related to physiology. Suffice it to say that the creator of the theory of stress, the famous Hans Selye, was by no means a psychologist by profession, but an endocrinologist and pathologist (the so-called doctors who study disease processes in the body).

Understanding how people behave in any illness, trauma, strong experience, Selye came across a curious pattern. He later described it in his work The Stress of Life. Whatever the cause of stress (cold, heat, poisoning, burns, pain, financial problems, melancholy, and even lingering happiness), the human body reacts to it with the same biochemical changes and physical symptoms.

This standard reaction is called General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS). It consists of three stages.

1. Stage of anxiety

After a brief confusion, necessary for the brain to be aware of the danger, the body begins to produce a huge amount of stress hormones - adrenaline and norepinephrine. Blood rushes to those parts of the body that are necessary for action - arms, legs, muscles of the trunk. The liver releases its stores of glucose to provide the muscles with the energy they need. This triggers the famous fight-or-flight response.

The main task of the anxiety stage is to mobilize all the resources of the body, to shake a person so that he is ready to run or fight for his life. At this stage, despite the anxiety, we are active, there are a lot of plans, confidence beats in our chest: "we will break through, I can handle it."

The trouble is that you can accomplish a feat with high adrenaline, but you can't think through tasks for the future. We are simply not able to soberly assess our strengths. And patience and concentration are not enough to take on something planned seriously.

The plans can be realized if the level of stress decreases and we return to thoughtfulness and rationality. But, for example, in the case of quarantine, the stressful situation continues. And, having held out in the state of "fight or flight" for several days, the body, tired of hormonal explosions, moves to a new stage.

2. Stage of adaptation

At this stage, the body's reserves run out. The brain, realizing that it was not possible to escape or defeat the danger with a swoop, goes into a mode of energy saving. Activity decreases sharply, more and more you want to go into hibernation: wrap yourself in a blanket and dive onto the sofa, and not learn a new language, watch a programming course or whatever you have planned for yourself at an early stage of the anxiety stage.

This is not laziness. Your body simply seeks to survive in a changed, dangerous world.

If the stress recedes, you will quickly return to your good old energetic state. If not, then after a while (from several days to several weeks or months - the period depends on the level of stress and individual characteristics) the next, third stage will come.

3. Stage of exhaustion

Energy is depleted, there is no more strength to withstand stress. A person withdraws into himself, he may develop mental disorders. If he does not receive support, and the stress does not end, psychosomatics comes into play. Immunity decreases, quite real physical disorders appear, the risk of developing hypertension, strokes, heart attacks and even cancer increases.

What to do to regain strength

Regardless of which stage you are stuck in, there is only one way out of the GAS state - to try to reduce the level of stress.

1. Disconnect from news

Log out of social media. Give yourself a digital detox. A constant stream of disturbing information flows from gadgets that makes you worry. Stop him for at least a few days until you adapt to live in a new reality - self-isolation, remote work conditions, the need to spend the whole day in the same room with relatives, and so on.

2. Focus on what you can control

You will not be able to stop the epidemic. And to force neighbors (and even more so the government) to behave more rationally - too. Therefore, throw out of your head reflections on the fate of the world and human stupidity. Focus on the things that you can actually handle.

Can you wash the dishes? Wash. Can you keep your hallway clean? Do a wet mop every three hours. Can you sew protective masks for family and friends? Sew. Fix on "done - got the result." It is calming.

3. Be aware of yourself here and now

The lion's share of experiences grows from thinking about what will happen next. These reflections cannot be avoided. But still try to reduce their number.

An easy way is to pay attention to the things that are happening to you right now. Listen for the sound of rain pounding on the glass. Feel the soft fur of a domestic cat under your toes. Try to break down the flavor of the dish you are currently eating into its constituents. Enjoy the smell of fresh bread. This is a kind of meditation that also helps reduce stress.

4. Make a clear daily routine

A schedule that you strictly follow every day will give you a sense of stability.

5. Get exercise

The body also needs to release tension. In addition, activity stimulates the production of the hormone of joy - endorphin, so experiences are easier to bear.

It is not necessary to arrange many hours of training or pull iron in an apartment. It is enough to move at least half an hour or an hour a day at a pace that is comfortable for you: dance, twist a hula-hoop, do yoga on YouTube videos, or do stretching exercises.

6. Let your emotions out

Now is not the period when it is necessary to push the experience deep into it. Let yourself cry if you feel like it. Or laugh if something seemed funny. Or hugging a loved one - a child, spouse, parents, dog, cat - just like that, just because you want warmth.

7. Seek support

It is ideal if there is a person next to you with whom you can share your worries and fears. Nearby - not necessarily physically. A friend or friend whose number you can dial and have a sincere conversation is also a great way to feel supported.

If you don't have close friends, it's time to remember your relatives. Call them more often. Ask how they are doing, how they feel, what they are doing. The opportunity to talk with “friends”, the realization that you are not alone, is a good way not to get rid of stress completely, but at least to reduce it to a manageable level. It will give you back your strength.

At the stage of exhaustion, more serious support may be required. If you feel that you are finding it more difficult to control yourself, or if you see signs of depression or other mental disorders in someone close to you, see a therapist. In a self-isolating setting, look for an online consultant.

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