Medical staff, couriers, taxi and bus drivers, subway and train drivers, firefighters, police officers… The list of those who, on duty, cannot hide from the pandemic in isolation can go on and on. They are at the forefront now. And they need help too.
Photos and videos of tired doctors from Italy are circulating on the Russian-language Internet. They rub their faces until they bleed and bruise because they have to wear masks at all times. Social media users are greatly impressed by reports of medical protocols during emergencies: in other words, who will they save first and who will they leave to die.
Italian doctors have already faced this most difficult ethical choice. He is not standing in front of Russian doctors yet. But the reality of such a prospect scares not only potential patients, but also the doctors themselves.
“I live in a small town, we all know each other here, and the doctors are completely familiar with all the residents, if not personally, then after a few handshakes,” says the head of the department of one of the Russian hospitals. “And I’m not so much afraid of overloads, which are inevitable for all of us in the event of a massive coronavirus disease. I’m afraid I’ll have to choose. And yes, we were taught this, we are ready for this. But when it’s all in a concentrated form, you are much more afraid, despite the experience.”
Even now, Russian doctors are forced to mobilize all their forces as soon as possible, practically to settle in hospitals.
“I’m not weak”
“General fatigue from overload, a disturbed mode of wakefulness and sleep — many doctors work in shifts, spending the night in hospitals, plus the inability to fully relax, change into home clothes, hug loved ones — Russian doctors have already encountered this,” explains the psychologist of the Light in Hands Foundation. » Vera Povetkina. All this affects their emotional state.
They haven’t yet had to make a choice about who to save and who to leave to die, but we at the foundation know how doctors cope with the loss of patients. Therefore, we work not only with parents who have experienced perinatal loss, but also with obstetricians, gynecologists – for them, loss or medical abortion (when a child is diagnosed with a disease in the womb that is incompatible with life) is a real trauma that they often carry with them .
In our society, it is not customary to say that a doctor is also a person who has the right to his feelings. Therefore, now we have organized assistance to all doctors who have encountered coronavirus – support groups, personal consultations, a call to the psychologist’s hotline.
On the one hand, doctors are professionals. They took the Hippocratic oath and understood what they were doing. Just like the military, choosing their path, they admit that one day a hypothetical war can become real.
On the other hand, these are also people who have children, husbands, wives, parents. They cannot help their relatives by giving themselves to patients and do not have the opportunity to receive support from loved ones.
In our country, the stereotype is still strong that seeking help from a psychologist is a weakness.
“If a doctor needs the support of a psychologist, then this, sorry, is not a doctor, not a professional,” says Georgiy, a doctor by education who works in his own cosmetology clinic.
“Unfortunately, in Russia, both at the state level and among the doctors themselves, there is no understanding that “help to helpers” is not a weakness or a sign of unprofessionalism, but a necessary and natural part of the profession,” explains Vera Povetkin. But, fortunately, this position is gradually changing.
I learned from Israeli colleagues how to work with injuries in emergency situations (ES), man-made and natural disasters, and military operations. According to the protocols, they have a mandatory psychological support group for all helping professionals. And psychologists working in emergency situations, in turn, attend a support group with other psychologists without fail.”
In our country, the stereotype is still strong that seeking help from a psychologist is a weakness. In reality, seeking psychological support allows physicians to take care of themselves so that they can help their patients for as long as possible. As well as reduce the impact of stress, quickly restore your resources.
In addition, “helping those who help” is the prevention of emotional burnout for doctors who are now at the forefront of the fight against coronavirus.
We all experience trauma
We are now experiencing trauma of varying intensity and face loss. All those who, on duty, cannot be isolated and protect themselves: volunteers of hospitals and social services, couriers, doctors at polyclinics, shop assistants, pharmacists, drivers — at first they mobilize, gather strength, feel an increase in energy, but then they inevitably experience decline.
“From the experience of other countries, we are beginning to realize that a pandemic is not a short-lived event. On the one hand, we understand that the pandemic is not eternal and will end, but on the other hand, no one can give an accurate forecast of exactly when we will be able to return to normal life, says Vera Povetkina. “We need to consciously spend our strength and internal resources now.”
Doctors use up “oxygen” faster, and therefore it needs to be replenished constantly. It is very important to help yourself and accept help. Recognize: “I am not omnipotent, not a robot, but a living person. Yes, I manage, but at what cost?
People who, out of duty or out of a spiritual outburst, help others, say about the same thing as Svetlana, who works in one of the Russian clinics accepting patients with covid: “It’s hard for me to admit to myself that I want to cry, that I’m tired, I want to hug children. After all, I am a doctor, I must be strong. Patients, journalists, officials are looking at me.”
“Compassion fatigue” — experienced by helping professionals after long, hard work
“It is very important to find a place where you can be alone with your anxieties and feelings, even in the regime of rigid isolation within the hospital walls. Give yourself the opportunity to miss the children, despite the fact that they deliberately chose a safe distance from their relatives, says Vera Povetkina. – It is easier for psychologists in this sense. They need psychological support for themselves – supervision, intervision, personal therapy. They allow you to avoid burnout and continue to effectively help clients.”
“Compassion fatigue” is experienced by people in the helping professions and those involved in philanthropy after long and hard work. If you do not pay attention to your condition in a timely manner, do not support yourself psychologically, then the likelihood of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is high.
Help yourself and recharge your batteries
Under quarantine conditions, being in self-isolation or in the hospital, we may notice various unpleasant symptoms: insomnia, drowsiness, a lump in the throat, a feeling of pressure in the neck, headaches, loss of appetite, anxiety, fears. So our psyche adapts and tries to cope with a stressful situation.
“It is important not to ignore these manifestations, but to observe them and try to realize: “What is behind this? What am I trying to “eat” even though I’m not hungry anymore? What am I afraid of? What is the worst thing about this situation for me? the psychologist suggests.
When we talk about unpleasant experiences to a loved one, friend, psychologist, we help ourselves to reduce the intensity of bodily and emotional manifestations.
When doctors and nurses notice similar symptoms in themselves, it is important to take a moment, allow yourself to stop and “breathe”, with the help of a psychologist, find resources that you can rely on and rush into the fight against the pandemic again.
It is important to recognize that you are not a superhero from a movie, but an ordinary person who has a limit of physical and mental capabilities. Take care of yourself, using even a small pause in work, lie down for at least a few minutes, take a nap, eat.
Many helping professionals work on the idea of salvation, on heroism and burnout to the ground, sacrificing themselves
There are simple techniques that can help you cope with anxiety and fatigue. Vera Povetkina suggests: “The simplest exercise is called the Butterfly. Sitting or standing, cross your arms over your chest and place your palms on your shoulders. And you begin to slowly and rhythmically raise the fingers alternately of the right and left hands. This technique helps not only to calm down, but also to relieve fatigue.
Another exercise will help you feel the ground gone from under your feet, feel the support. It is best to take off your shoes and socks and stand or walk barefoot.
“In Russia, we are just learning to take care of ourselves,” says Vera Povetkina. – Many helping professionals work on the idea of salvation, on heroism and burnout to the ground, sacrificing themselves both physically and emotionally.
But taking care of themselves, turning to a psychologist does not mean at all that they are not coping with their mission. On the contrary, it makes it possible to support oneself in conditions of inhuman loads, tough decisions, titanic labor, which none of us dreamed of. A psychologist is not a guru, he will not teach you how to live correctly. But he will be there and will allow you to find resources in yourself.
How can we help doctors and everyone who is now helping us? Take care of yourself – do everything not to spread the infection in order to stay healthy (follow the regimen, eat right). This is our best help to doctors.
- Hotline of the Light in Hands Foundation for doctors and medical personnel: 8-800-511-04-80.
- Psychological assistance program for doctors and healthcare workers involved in the treatment of coronavirus from the Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapists: the opportunity to receive 5 free consultations (by agreement with the therapist, the program can be extended). Privacy is guaranteed. To register fill out the form link.
- Telephone number of the Moscow Service for Psychological Assistance to the Population: +7 (499) 173-09-09 (Monday-Friday from 9:00 to 21:00, Saturday from 9:00 to 18:00, Sunday is a day off), the call is free; from a landline phone number 051 – around the clock, the call is free; from a mobile phone (“MTS”, “Megafon”, “Beeline”, “Tele2”) at +7 (495) 051 around the clock, the services of a telecom operator are paid according to the tariffs for outgoing calls.
- Hotline for emergency psychological assistance of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia (around the clock – anonymously, free of charge): +7 (495) 989-50-50. Psychological consultations around the clock, anonymously, free of charge. If you are calling from another city or country, long distance calls are charged.