The reactions to a situation like the one we find ourselves in lately, seem to me to be analogous to the stages in the grieving process. Each person goes through this process at their own pace.
That is why there are people who are still in the first stage of denial / shock. Reality is not accepted and the new situation is denied. (“There is no virus” …).
In the second stage, the emotion anger is generated by the frustration of not being able to satisfy various needs. This emotion gives energy to maintain the sense of control of the situation that helps to maintain self-esteem.
The third stage “Negotiation” is when we begin to have thoughts to keep control of the situation: “If this had not happened, I would be had / done / gone ….
The fourth stage is the Depressive one where the emotions of sadness and losing interest to get up in the morning are dominant.
In the fifth stage comes the acceptance of the situation. Not everybody reach this stage. Whoever made it this far, feels calm. It is not a period of happiness or depression. When calm and acceptance come, something interesting happens: you are fully in the present moment and many possibilities open up in front of you. You decide which is the best option for you at this time of your life.
It is important to recognize in which stage you are, so you can better understand your reactions. Are you waiting for a better time to start something, to pass the contingency, when everything returns as before? Things will never go back as they were before, because each experience changes us and we will never be the same again. If you find a way to be in the present moment (one of these is meditation, psychotherapy …), to feel the whole palette of emotions, to see what is around you, you could detect what you need to take action, learn new tools suitable for a situation outside of “the new normal”.
Anita Chukaleska, Psychologist, Gestalt Psychotherapist. 15. 05. 2020