Why it can be so hard to cope during a viral pandemic
As humans, we operate out of perception, or in other words, what gives us a sense of perception.
What is that exactly?
Well, it is our 5 senses: touch, taste, sight, smell, and sound. Think about when a baby is first born and starts to open its eyes to explore the world. Its eyes focus in on what is in front of them (usually the parents). In this first moment of life, they can only see up to 12 inches in distance. Anymore than that could potentially overload the brain and nervous system, making birth traumatic. Our systems are innately designed to take in just what we need the moment we enter this life.
Furthermore, in that moment, the nervous system becomes heightened. When you touch the baby’s body, it responds immediately with a heightened sense to touch. We are wired to figure the world out from birth and have the most complete nervous system in the entire world.
The CHALLENGE AND SCIENCE
Challenging a person's perception can rock their world, sending one into a state of panic, overwhelming emotion, and chaos. A phenomenon in which social trauma or anxiety combined with a suspicious event can produce psychosocial and psychosomatic symptoms, such anxiety, nausea, difficulty breathing and paralysis. This is the body’s anxiety and trauma response in high speed.
Over time it can lead to a separation or disconnect in the brain’s Neocortex, Limbic and Reptilian brain (Diencephaion). Each system plays a role in how our brain functions cognitively, socially, and emotionally thus effecting our regulation and survival instincts. For example, motor regulation, body temperature, sleep, emotional reactivity, abstract thought and concrete thought are controlled by one of these systems in the brain.
The way that we defeat these disconnects in everyday life is by using the 5 senses to make sense of the world. It becomes much easier to navigate it both logically and emotionally, giving us a feeling of safety.
But how does a virus challenge our perception if you can’t touch the virus, see it, hear it, smell or taste it? It very well may leaves you lost or in fear - heightening the nervous system, and challenging your PERCEPTION which help make sense of the world. This is what I call a schism in the brain – A break in the connectivity we need to operate effectively.
The HEALING
How do we overcome a schism in the brain? There are multiple things that can help us to cope and heal.
ONE: You can start by bringing together the dichotomy of both positive and negative qualities of the experience, into a cohesive, realistic whole.Forego living only in one side of the brain, be it emotional or logical. It is okay to find middle ground during the experience. The world does not have to be either black or white. Find the gray area and bask in it.
TWO: You can intentionally access one of your five senses. We sometimes refer to this as a “grounding technique” or mindfulness.
· Participation is a great mindfulness skill. You can participate in several things: gardening, walking, hiking, getting outdoors, spring-cleaning, decorating, playing a game, or creating something new are some examples. Participation is fully allowing yourself to experience whatever it is you are doing without allowing thought to pull you away from the moment. Here is a clear example of what happens if you are not fully engaged in the moment: Imagine you are on a basketball court and you are dribbling down with a defender in front of you. Your mind starts to wander somewhere else, maybe the crowd distracts you. Then, the defender swiftly steams the ball and goes past you for a layup. Participation is fully involving yourself in the moment in whatever you are doing. Without it, you will lose the ball.
· Observation is another skill that can help you to tune into one of your five senses. Observing is identifying one of the senses you would like to stimulate and then focusing your attention on that sense. I also like to think of this as curiosity exploration without thinking, if that makes sense. A very simple way to practice observation is to pick up a rock. While holding that rock, allow yourself to notice the connection between your hand and the rock. The weight in your hand. The shape it is creating. The texture on your fingertips. The temperature in your palm. The idea is not to let your brain or logical thinking distract you or take you to a place of comparison or judgment. These can alter the process and experience of the present moment.
THREE: When you feel like you have made enough sense of the positive and negative experience of the event, and when you have accumulated skills that help you tune into the present moment, it is time to engage socially. Social engagement helps us to make sense and dialogue through anxieties, fears, and overwhelming feelings. Be mindful with social interaction. By that I mean, make sure that the people around you have the ability to engage with you from a non-judgmental perspective. Create a social group that allows you to talk about differences, thoughts, and emotions in a safe way.
I hope you find yourself well and healthy during this time.
Nick Maez
Mental Health and Wellness Counselor
Feather River College
Sources:
Perry, B.D. & Pollard, R. Homeostasis, stress, trauma, and adaptation: a neurodevelopmental view of childhood trauma. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 7; 1: 33-51, 1998.
Disaster Mental Health Resources,
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Marsha Linehan
DBT skills training manual
Managing Anxiety in Times of Crisis, http://www.mentalhealth.samha.gov/cmhs/managinganxiety/tips.asp
Mental Health of Population Exposed to Biological and Chemical Weapons
Read, J. Fosse, R., Moskowitz, A. & Perry, B.D. Traumagentic neurodevelopmental model of psychosis revisited Neuropsychiatry 4 (1): 1 – 15, 2014