Highlights
- Lockdown fatigue is real.
- Reach out for help when you need it.
- Nostalgia can help us remember and look forward to the things we used to do and enjoy.
'We need to [accept] that we can't control this pandemic. The only thing we have control is ourselves, how we respond to it."
Sydney-based psychologist Manna Maniago shares that one of the ways to respond to and cope with the pandemic is through the use of nostalgia.
Lockdown fatigue
According to Manna, people want to be in control and want to feel certain of their safety. Going through lockdown, especially one after the other, can lead to a feeling of repression and uncertainty.
"When we feel uncertain and feel that danger is just lurking around the corner, our minds can race. We can feel stressed and anxious."
Lockdown fatigue is real. Source: Tumisu from Pixabay
She suggests reaching out to those who can help and empathise, especially when stress and anxiety get too overwhelming.
"It's important to know what numbers to call. We have Beyond Blue. We have Lifeline we can reach out to. We also need to know how to reach out to our family, our community. It's always good to know that help is always at hand because it promotes hope."
Nostalgia helps
Another important activity that promotes hope during the pandemic is nostalgia.
"Reminiscing details of your past experiences - like graduations, weddings and travel - helps. In Victoria, you can't travel beyond the 5-km radius of your home - it's restricting. Remembering things such as travelling and even sharing posts about them [on social media] have the psychological benefit of counteracting the feeling of loneliness."
"[Sharing nostalgic posts on social media] also promotes feelings of belongingness, of feeling that [the pandemic] will only last for a season and when restrictions are lifted, [these experiences] are something you can work towards doing again - next year or the year after."
Nostalgic activities have the psychological benefit of counteracting the feeling of loneliness. Source: Plann fro Pexels
Manna shares that havingsomething to look forward to also creates a buffer against existential threats - like the feeling of isolation and of course, the virus itself.
"Nostalgia is a way of offering ourselves hope and inspiration."
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