The psychological impact of lockdown according to a clinical psychologist
"All of a sudden you have lost your freedom to move around and you have lost regular contact with people you love. Some of us may even lose people to death due to the virus. You lose your idea of the world as you know it and you lose the security that goes with that idea."
The lockdown has thrown everyday life as we know it into turmoil and uncertainty.
According to Jackie Fleetwood, a clinical psychologist from Hometree Therapy Centre in Mbombela, there are two main psychological difficulties when it comes to the lockdown.
“The first is the uncertainty – no one is sure of when the lockdown is going to end and to what extent it will help to contain the Covid-19 coronavirus. What will happen after the lockdown?
“We all know that more difficult times, especially economically, lie ahead,” Fleetwood said.
She mentioned that the expectation of when the lockdown would end creates much anxiety, and therefore it was a good thing that the president announced the extension of the lockdown this far in advance.
“It promotes certainty and the feeling of safety when people know what is going on, at least until the end of April.
“The second psychological difficulty is the fact that we realise we are unable to control the situation.”
Fleetwood said that this loss of control brings about a complex mourning process.
“All of a sudden you have lost your freedom to move around and you have lost regular contact with people you love. Some of us may even lose people to death due to the virus. You lose your idea of the world as you know it and you lose the security that goes with that idea.”
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She went on to say that work gives meaning to people’s lives. Besides the income that it provides, it also provides people with self-worth. That is because they are contributing to the community and have some kind of control over their lives.
Fleetwood then clarified that this mourning process is in essence a preparation for further losses.
“We prepare to say goodbye to family and loved ones, because we know that we will not see them for a while, but we also prepare that we might never see them again, should they fall ill and pass away.”
She said some of us fear losing our jobs and our livelihood. This anticipated process of mourning promotes more anxiety and makes people “emotionally sensitive” and “emotionally reactive”.
“People are out of routine and wires are wound tight, which creates a stressful situation at home during lockdown.”
Fleetwood concluded by saying that people should be very conscious of their own thoughts and feelings each day of the lockdown.
“Self-awareness helps us to understand our current experience, which enables us to manage our thoughts and feelings more effectively. Understanding what is going on inside of yourself may help to alleviate feelings of anxiety,” she explained.
The best way to cope is to develop a routine, plan your days and try to focus on life in the moment, which helps to ground you
“When you make a cup of coffee, pay attention to the smell of the coffee, pay attention to the sounds you hear coming from the garden. Tune in to your five senses and pay attention to them to make the most of each action and every day. Live in the moment.”
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