A zombie apocalypse or scenes from the television series the Walking Dead. This is what comes to mind when the Pandemic of Covid-19 really took control of the world. I am a Walking Dead fan and it is one of the few shows that my husband and I watch together. My psychology background always takes me to another place when I watch the show. The empty streets, the towns that are deserted, people trying to find food on the empty shelves of the stores, trying to find bottled water, trying to stay in a safe place and most of all trying not to get bit so you don’t get the virus. I imagine that the people must feel like they are in a dream state or a nightmare. Thinking to themselves where am I as if they are in an altered state. Viewing these types of shows can be so much sometimes that you turn the television off. Season after season all the fans set the DVR’s to absorb the next season, the fascination is real.
Let’s get back to reality it’s Summer 2021. The Delta variant is roaring through city after city. Infecting people with the virus that is making people very sick and dying. The scariest part is that it is effecting the younger population. Wait, didn’t this virus start in 2020? What is going on here? The truth sucks, we are going backwards and the virus is on the prowl looking for its next victim. All of this has really gotten me to think about 2020 when all of this began with lockdowns etc. This is where I began my research on the detachment from reality that many of us experienced during lockdowns, mask wearing and social isolation. In my research I spoke to many people and they all had the same feeling of detachment during the past year and a half. In my research I came across terms like Post Covid Traumatic Syndrome, dissociation, derealization and depersonalization. These terms can be associated with specific psychiatric diagnosis; however, professionals are all seeing less severe versions of these illnesses that are life specific to Covid-19. When I was talking about the Walking Dead and how the living must look at the world and feel somewhat detached because they don’t recognize their world anymore, this is happening currently to everyday people due to the pandemic.
Is there a time during the pandemic where you didn’t recognize your town, neighborhood or even your friends? Is there a time where you almost felt like you were in a dream state even when you were awake? Have you almost felt like you were having an out of body experience like you know you are standing on the sidewalk but you didn’t feel in touch with your surroundings? More importantly did you ever question yourself and say is this the real world? This is what you call derealization or depersonalization. It is a form of dissociating from your world because it is too overwhelming. Individuals experience this mostly when they are under tremendous amounts of stress, anxiety, depression or PTSD. Hello, didn’t we all feel this way in the past year because of this virus. I believe for some it may have become more common place to feel this way. Feeling out of touch with friends, family, work, school, leisure activities and your surroundings can be unnerving. Professionals are stating that this is becoming prevalent and normal in the world of a pandemic. Nobody wants to feel this way but it has become part of reality. What can you do if you are experiencing this type of out of body experience or feeling like you are almost in a dream state? You just can’t believe the world you are living in and how it is so out of control due to the pandemic.
The technique of grounding is what most therapists recommend as a coping skill. Let me share with you a grounding technique. Grounding makes you snap out of the derealization and directs you on a path to feel more in touch with the world around you. Grounding starts with focusing on your environment through what you see, hear, feel and taste. Here is an example: take a lemon and squeeze it into your mouth. The tart and sour flavor activates your senses and helps you detach from the out of touch feelings you were experiencing. Example: take your shoes off and dig your toes into the sand. Feel the grains of sand and the damp wet feeling of it. Example: take an ice cube and hold it tight in the palm of your hand. Experience the cold wet feeling of the ice. Example: open your eyes and focus on an object in front of you like a sunset. Focus on the colors, the shapes and the sense of calm it gives you. Example: put your earbuds in and play some music that makes you want to move your body to the sounds of the music. All of these examples are grounding. Grounding techniques are tools that wake you up from a dream that you have been in for some time during your daily schedule. These techniques will help you focus on your environment more clearly and more in touch. If you have ever experienced this out of touch experience during the pandemic it is normal in todays world. The role you must take in your life is to incorporate techniques that will help you feel more in touch with your world and your everyday life. These times are difficult and research is just starting on how this pandemic is influencing and changing our lives. Humans have a secret power over this virus and it is to use your own personal coping skills like grounding. Covid isn’t going away any time soon so use your secret power and take control of your world around you. Trust me you will thank yourself for the self care.
POSITIVE THOUGHTS CREATE POSITIVE ENERGY
GO OUT AND EXPLORE ALL OF THE WIDE OPEN SPACES IN YOUR WORLD
CIAO
Ilise
