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We asked a trainee in Clinical Psychology how contemporary generation reacts to the pandemic

From denial to negotiation

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We are used to "run" from today's society, to never stop, to follow a rhythm so frenetic as to enter into a movement of constant confusion (sometimes creative, come on) and often we just need to stop to understand what happens to us. And we never do it, or at least not as much as we should. But now we are still, bodies blocked and minds in short circuit, we are left in the dark. All of Italy is firm, restrained, afraid.

Too many tragic news that we read now every day, which weigh down the daily climate pushing us to have to reflect on what is happening, at the same time, in our minds, in the soul and in our body. That together are the components that create the individual himself. It is the first time that a measure of this magnitude has been adopted in the history of the Italian Republic, which has and will have major consequences not only on the economy of society, but also on the social life of citizens. From the end of February, the protagonist of this chaos that proliferates in Italy, as well as on the web, is the SARS-CoV_2 also called Covid-19, for everyone: coronavirus. The new coronavirus strain that has rained down on the world from China has never been identified in humans before. Never before being reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 (www.salute.gov.it). We were all unprepared.

"Psychologically, the situation is not easy and the stages of the metabolization of a novelty, such as the epidemic - which entails a 'suspension of normalcy' - are different". Thus begins Armando Toscano, social psychologist expert in community and integration dynamics and manager in the third sector, whose words seem important. The metabolization of the novelty therefore has - from a psychological point of view - some specific phases, also illustrated in an article by Linkiesta by Irene Donnini.

 
 
 
 
 
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From the psychoanalysis vocabulary, denial is "a defense mechanism that triggers when something creates too intense negative feelings". In short, when you cannot understand what is communicated - from the severity of the virus to the absolute need to stay at home. The denial, Donnini writes, "leads us to think that the situation in which we find ourselves is" inflated "with respect to reality, and that basically there is nothing wrong with going out to do a little jogging". And if on the one hand, “people struggle to realize that they have to change their lifestyle, because by nature they are contrary to everything that undermines their self-esteem - explains Toscano to Linkiesta - On the other hand, the society of wellbeing in which we live , adds a level of complexity, because we are used to a certain level of ease and guarantees, of rights" and so on. "Giving up on it, then, sounds like an unacceptable privation". After denial, anger awaits us, because "the imposition of an unwanted restriction, such as prolonged contact between the walls of the house, with hyperactive children or anxious spouses, can give rise to aggression in us". And once the anger is experienced, it is the turn of negotiation: "we try to come to terms, it is said, 'Ah, if we had done it this way or that', we imagine all the possible alternative scenarios". Then follows the phase of depression - which, attention, "is not a negative term", explains the expert, rather evokes the phase in which 'the pressures ease'. In other words, with the depression phase "we are" resigned "to the fact that we must be patient, observe the rules of hygiene and behavior, and wait for the quarantine period to pass". For the last phase, which is that of acceptance: "the moment in which we will begin to live in a serene and constructive way with the new conditions".

Some Italians lining up at the supermarket even say: “There is an almost surrealist climate. We are asked for such a radical change where, paradoxically, we are forced to do nothing, and to stay at home, after all those frenetic rhythms with which we have been raised by society". The objective problem of Coronavirus becomes a subjective problem in relation to the psychological experience, emotions and fears that the theme arouses in different people, all based on their unique experience as individuals. Fear, for example - according to the National Council of the Order of Psychologists - is fundamental for our survival and for the perception of the risks that surround us; but there is also a great risk that it may freeze you, make you helpless or unreasonable. The 'perception of risk' can be distorted and amplified, leading to panic conditions that are not always and only unjustified, but increase the risk of irrational behavior and a lowering of the biological defenses of the organism.

 
 
 
 
 
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The scientific evidence, then, leads us to hypothesize that under quarantine different stressors are strengthened, external stimuli that are a source of stress. And the most common ones are: the duration of the 'lockdown', the fear of being infected, and also that of being able to infect others, especially family members. And again we read about Agi: boredom, frustration and being deprived of necessary goods, not only food or for health, but also intangible, such as those related to information. Thus, like a red thread that binds us, there is anguish, "the fear of being able to stay indoors, without food and starving is the most ancestral fear of the human being, who has evolved around the search for food and always accumulates it, in anticipation of times when there may not be food", writes Gabriele Sani, professor of psychiatry at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and a psychiatrist at Gemelli, referring to the race to supermarkets, trains or to the tobacconists, which broke loose a few days ago.


And alongside fear there is the perception of a social distancing, imposed. “One of the most destructuring aspects at the moment - continues Sani - is physical distance. We do not touch each other, we do not greet each other, no kisses or hugs. It is something very strange for the Latins in general and for the Italians in particular: For us, physical contact is an integral part of everyday life". "This condition that we are facing also highlights the fact that man is, let's not forget, a social animal. Now decisions are emerging that are no longer individual, but collective", writes Luca Andrighetto, professor of social psychology at the University of Genoa. After several decades, in fact, our individual freedom takes second place. As a double-sided medal, however, Siani echoes him, reflecting: "There is also another fundamental aspect, characteristic of man, which is resilience: the ability to adapt and respond to critical situations". That's why we'll make it.

 
 
 
 
 
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Another of the valid tools to face the situation in which we find ourselves “is to understand that we are all affected by the pandemic. The perception of an external threat, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, is in this sense particularly effective for coordinating the group - writes Andrighetto - and facilitates the implementation of collective behavior to achieve the goal". We therefore try to perceive ourselves as a whole and collaborate to get out of the emergency, protecting our loved ones and the people around us. We strive to reconfigure our days, managing to create a routine as Scott Kelly, a retired NASA astronaut who has spent nearly a year on the International Space Station, advises us. If being stuck in the house can be a great challenge, in fact, it is nevertheless living in space for a long time. Try to be creative and nourish our brains with our interests and passions. Connecting with ourselves by browsing through our deepest roots will allow us both to survive now but also afterwards, after this emergency will end and reap the benefits.

 
 
 
 
 
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And in addition, connecting with others is very important, so as to continue exchanging opinions, thoughts or maybe some Yoga or Pilates training ;)

Emotional flexibility and emotional stability are, in fact, fundamental and protective factors with respect to the perception of risk. This is what emerges from the psychological study promoted by the Catholic University, which arrived has collected almost 3,000 entries in a few days. People therefore seem to be "more able to deal with uncertain situations, manage stressful situations and regulate negative emotions such as anxiety and anger - adapting better - when they put in place mental resources capable of reducing levels of concern, and social impact of the virus. Optimism is therefore another important protective factor that allows, even when faced with a concern, to feel its effects less". A particularly useful mantra of life in these hard weeks is that of the British psychoanalyst Bion, who has been ringing for years allowing me to go on: THINKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORM.

Come on citizens <3