Five steps to overcoming lockdown syndrome

The damage caused by COVID-19 goes far beyond the loss of life, the destruction of jobs and social isolation. A survey released this November by the Time to Change campaign found that more than four in 10 men in the UK are struggling with their mental health through the pandemic and a similar proportion feel they have no-one to talk to. And if men are finding this time challenging, it’s even worse for women. A global survey published in September by CARE showed that women were more likely than men to have suffered income loss, more likely to be shouldering the extra child care and housework under COVID and many are psychologically overwhelmed. We are facing the biggest mental health crisis this century.

Some of this was predictable. It’s human to feel grief at losing loved ones. Unemployment and reduced income triggers our survival instincts and many are reporting high levels of anxiety, depression and insomnia. The lockdown and lack of face-to-face contact with friends has left many feeling deeply isolated. What no-one fully anticipated was the length of the lockdown and the degree to which news outlets would fixate on the horror and novelty of Coronavirus, contributing to a sense of panic. As the weeks turn into months people are reporting a type of brain-fog, in which they lose track of time and memory of what they did when. It’s called lockdown syndrome.

There are no quick fixes for how to survive this pandemic. The containment of its spread and the development of a cure are out of our hands. But there are some things that are within our sphere of influence. And there is much wisdom in the Serenity Prayer’s encouragement “to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference”.

Here are five steps to beating lockdown syndrome.

1. Don’t believe what you think. I’ve noticed some of my clients getting caught in what psychologists call catastrophic thinking e.g. that life will never return to normal, that I will find paid work again. The hallmark of catastrophic thinking is its insistence on ‘always’ or ‘nothing’. It blocks out any window for hope and it is this that leaves you feeling so bad if you indulge in it. And beyond that, black-and-white thinking is almost never accurate. Some things will not survive the lockdown and we need to get ready for some painful losses. But the lockdown and the pandemic are not here forever. Some things will return to normal and some of the changes will be for the good. Interrupt your thoughts if you get caught in catastrophic thinking and remind yourself of the old truth: this too will pass.

2. Do what you love to do. Even under lockdown there are things that you can do that feed your soul. And in hard times it’s more important than ever to do things for ourselves that make us happy. For some it’s physical exercise. For others it’s learning something that you always wanted to learn, or taking up an old hobby. Here are the words of the indigenous Hopi leader, White Eagle, written in the United States on 16th March of this year. “When you are taking care of yourselves, you are taking care of everything else. Do not lose the spiritual dimension of this crisis, have the eagle aspect, that from above, and see the whole; see more broadly… Good things emanate; what you emanate now is the most important thing. And sing, dance, resist through art, joy, faith and love.”

3. Have a conversation every day. Loneliness is as corrosive to our health as smoking. It leads to withdrawal from life and depression and it’s easy to fall into a downward spiral where we expect others to reach out to us and when they don’t, we shut down. The antidote to loneliness is take opposite action, to push yourself to initiate contact with others even though it may be the last thing you feel like doing. Now is the time to reconnect with old friends, to ask someone out for a walk, or to join you for a video call.

4. Spend time in nature. Spending time outside in a local park or nature is allowed under lockdown and is the best antidote to feeling stuck inside. It’s proven to lower blood pressure and stress hormone levels. It also generates feel-good neurotransmitters and elevates your mood. How long should you go outside for? At least two hours a week, according to a June 2019 study from the University of Exeter. You can reach this target over several trips but two hours is a hard stop – the researchers found no benefit for those who did less than that.

5. Take care of others. Shifting the focus away from yourself and your troubles has long been seen as the secret to a happy life. The 8th-century Indian philosopher, Shantideva, is quoted as saying “All the suffering there is in this world arises from wishing our self to be happy. All the happiness there is in this world arises from wishing others to be happy.” Spending just a few minutes of your day checking in on people in your community can make all the difference for someone else. In this year of social distancing, a small personal gesture can have a tremendous impact. If you haven’t met your neighbours yet, this is the perfect time to introduce yourself and let them know you’re willing to lend a hand, provide a spare mask, or share some leftovers.There are probably people you know who are struggling right now and would love your offer of help.