It’s March 11th, sometime around 5pm, I order a filter coffee and sit down to do some writing in one of my favourite coffee shops on Drury St., Dublin – a ritual that’s become habitual since embarking on my Ph.D journey. I finished my last sip of coffee and promised myself to be more productive tomorrow. But… that tomorrow never came, or at least not in the way we all envisaged. Humanity began preparing for a drastic and dramatic change. A change that we now see has challenged our perceptions, ideologies, ways of interaction and behaviours. COVID introduced itself and made us feel like we are living in a simulation.
It’s been nearly 3 months since Ireland introduced lockdown measures. And whilst we continue to try and make sense of this new, absurd normalcy, It is pivotal to understand that these are not normal times and many of us need more support than ever. Every day I ask myself “can anything positive or resilient materialise out of this situation for individuals or society?” The answer to that question is YES. The pandemic silver lining may present itself in establishing some new habits, behavioural and mental changes that we might not have had time to explore previously and perhaps inculcate in our daily lives. In doing so becoming more at one.
Let me cross off something clichéd, and you might have heard a million times- meditation. A stressful situation — such as this pandemic triggers a cascade of stress hormones that produce well-engineered physiological changes. These changes can make the heart pound, activate the sweat glands, breathing quickens and this persistent stress can permanently damage blood vessels. Meditative techniques such as deep abdominal breathing, focusing on bodily sensations can elicit the relaxation response during these times. These techniques interact directly with our parasympathetic nervous system which helps to relax the body.
Sometimes, practising meditation might feel like a complete waste of energy and time (I have been there), but it’s a part of the process. While practising, try focusing on the physical sensation you have within your body when you feel anxious. Is it the tingling sensation beneath your feet? palpitation of heart? Focus on it, see it as it is, without its essence. What I mean by this is to channel that anxiety you are feeling as an external entity.
Altruism is an important social construct defined as a selfless concern for the well-being of others illustrated through our actions/behaviours and often seen as a hallmark of a civilised human being. This evolutionary construct wired into our brain can be highly effective during these stressful times. Plenty of research in social neuroscience has indicated that during an altruistic donation, the same areas of the brain lights up that are related to food, sex, and other pleasure inducing symptoms. Research shows that donating to a societal cause activates the same rewarding structures in your brain’s limbic system as earning a financial gain. Self-care is necessary, but don’t overdo it. Instead, focus on other people that you can choose to help. For instance, the money you are now able to save on your afternoon cappuccinos (or Dublin’s finest filter coffees in my case), give it to a registered local or international charity; help an older neighbour by getting their groceries.
This is a win-win situation and essential in this environment. Indeed over the past couple of weeks as millions tune in to RTE’s Friday night Late Late show, we’ve witnessed the sheer generosity of the Irish public who are donating in droves to charitable causes – illustrating even in difficult and uncertain times human instinct is concerned with the wellbeing of others.
Our brain is a master storyteller. I always convinced myself that I never had time for running or running didn’t have time for me. There could be a plethora of activities you always endeavoured to do but have been fooled by your brain into not engaging. This is the time to convert these procrastinations into habits. Make time for them and these daily activities can turn into habitual practices if we repeat again and again (like my coffee ritual). We have opportunities to shift our perspectives and control our mindsets.
Imagine 4 months ago, if your loved one asked you to join them for a virtual dinner? Your answer would probably be “that’s weird” and you don’t have time for it. Revitalise those social connections with the ones you love and people you care about. Remember that one friend, that one individual you have always wanted to say hi to but could not because it was too weird to call them?
This pandemic has and will bring out many challenges for our humanity. But as we live in these uncertain times, the need for connection, to love and being loved feels yet more important than ever. As Camus puts it beautifully in his visionary book, The Plague, “if there is one thing one can always yearn for, and sometimes attain, it is human love.”
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