The worldwide spread of Covid-19 caused a kind of mental pandemic − anxiety, depression and panic attacks became the main mental problems in quarantine. To get rid of them, many people engaged in various relaxation techniques, including rituals. They became the basis for psychological self-assistance during the coronavirus epidemic.
In quarantine during the Covid-19 crisis I felt asthenia which is a constant causeless fatigue, even after a good rest. I also experienced constant background anxiety and pessimism (Xygalatas, 2020). I had an increased sensitivity to stress factors, for example, when reading the news. I also had an unstable mood with a low irritability threshold, a tendency to resentment and conflict, and increased emotional sensitivity.
The new activities I engaged during the Covid-19 crisis are guitar playing and meditation. I have been wanting to start playing a musical instrument for a long time, and when I did not have to spend time on commuting, I decided to try. Due to constant anxiety, I also decided to start meditating to improve my psychological state.
The effect of these rituals in addressing the uncertainties produced by Covid-19 was an increase in psychological comfort. I had the illusion that I could control my life, and a semblance of predictability (Xygalatas, 2020). The fact that I knew exactly how my day would start and what activities I would perform during its duration made me feel calmer.
Uncertainty is hard for most people to experience. To maintain a sense of well-being, it is important for a person to be able to make both long-term and short-term plans. In the situation produced by Covid-19, the opportunity to create certainty and constancy in what a person can control helped to create psychologically comfortable conditions.
Reference
Xygalatas, D. (2020). Explaining the emergence of coronavirus rituals.