Building mental resilience in the time of pandemic
As a result, clinical psychologist Sukanya Ray says, “We are going through what is known as a collective trauma. The trajectory of COVID19 has been unpredictable and that has put our nervous systems into a zone of mild to severe restlessness.”To counter this, ‘mental resilience’ has emerged as a buzzword on social media, while mental health experts and mindfulness practitioners recommend building on the skill through a series of practices, ranging from breathing exercises to bringing mindfulness to daily activities.
So, what is mental resilience exactly? Psychologists describe it as the ability to adapt to tough situations, and adversities.
The recent days have also seen several webinars and online sessions centred around ways to build resilience.
Manish Behl, founder of Mindful Science Centre, who conducts such workshops, shares, “Since the lockdown, I have received numerous calls and requests from people to help them cope with this phase of uncertainty and gain skills to be able to bounce back.” His programs include guided mindfulness activities that help retrain the brain to bounce back from setbacks.
“Our brain keeps building new neural pathways, so we can retrain it accordingly to guard ourselves against despair,” he explains.
Likewise, Pune-based psychologist Anubha Doshi is organising a webinar to explore the relationship between positive psychology and resilience. “Through theory and experiential activities, we explore how mindfulness practices can help manage anxiety and build resilience in difficult times” she says.
How does one stay resilient in the time of the pandemic?
Here’s what mental health and mindfulness expert Manish Behl suggest:
Acceptance:
“Start with accepting the uncertainty or stressor, and then have a plan on how to deal with it, one day at a time. When you know you’re facing a situation where no one knows what will happen in the future, then it is essential to slow down, be aware of the present and think of near future goals,” shares mindfulness practitioner from Hyderabad Karl Pestonji.
Bring mindfulness to your daily activities:
Focus on the task at hand, for example if you are cooking, notice each activity. Don’t do things on autopilot. “Being mindful while eating, cooking, or even washing up can help develop resilience,” says Pestonji.
Practice gratitude:
Spend every morning practicing gratitude, and appreciating of what you have and get every day. It can be simple things like getting food, having people around you, etc. Under panic and stress, one tends to focus more on the negative, so while analysing try to look at the positives first.
Practice mindful breathing:
Doing so for 5-10 minutes can help calm you down.
Be more helpful:
Even supporting friends in need can help develop a sense of purpose and boost self-worth
Read full article published on TIMES OF INDIA : Sukanya Ray: Building mental resilience in the time of pandemic – Times of India (indiatimes.com)
