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“We live on a diet low in positive emotions”
Dafne Cataluña, Psychologist
The pandemic has made uncertainty and anguish become constant emotions instead of punctual
If when the sudden confinement arrived the experiences of those spring months became so tragic that they seemed untrue, now that state of uncertainty and anguish it has become the day to day. Every day an alert arrives on the mobile that remembers the daily infections, something that used to shudder and is now part of the routine. Now masks are part of the visual ecosystem of the streets and giving a friend a hug becomes a decision that should be considered for a moment.
But, although many have adapted (more or less) to what was initially called the ‘new normal’ and now it is only what happens every day, there are others who feel more difficulty. The psychologist Dafne Cataluña, founder of the Institute of Positive Psychology, comments that there are still many people who have high levels of concern; The fear of infecting at-risk relatives has increased, a factor that weighs on many people.
In general, the professional comments that a decrease in happiness and the experimentation of positive emotions is observed, derived from the reduction of contact with family and friends and from leisure activities. «This diet low in positive emotions leads us to unbalance ourselves because negative emotions are more frequent than before», Says Dafne Cataluña, who adds that to counteract the effect of these emotions, experiences and moments of enjoyment must be generated, moments that have currently been reduced. Likewise, the professional assures that those people already showed a certain tendency to worry, obsessions, anxiety or depression, due to the situation they have seen their discomfort increased.
How it affects relationships
One of the fields on which the pandemic has had the most impact is that of afective relationships, both with family, friends or partners. The psychologist comments that in general, those people who had a good basic relationship with the people they live with have strengthened these links. If we talk about people with whom one does not live, in general they have distanced themselves, due to the characteristics of the situation. «That has made us feel more lonely, even sadness for letting the little time that we have left or was left to take advantage of the older family members; it is weighing on the mood, “says the professional.
Right now everyone has their defense mechanisms activated to the maximum. These resources are called, says Dafne Cataluña, tough response, and they imply that, even in difficult or traumatic situations, our mind is capable of assimilating what happened and moving forward integrating it and activating hope for a better future.
What is positive psychology
At a time when negative feelings and experiences seem to prevail, the psychologist emphasizes the importance of positive psychology. This consists of “promoting the psychological resources that people already have to empower them and thus increase their well-being and happiness.” He argues that at a time like this it is of great help because it helps us to balance our mood. “By being more aware of what makes us feel good about ourselves and putting it into action on a day-to-day basis, we learn to perceive a greater balance compared to the moments where we mostly experience unpleasant emotions,” says Dafne Cataluña.
Focusing on these positive resources does not mean that we should force ourselves to be positive people, something that can be counterproductive. “Always believing that only good things happen to me and denying the negative generates an unrealistic vision that will lead me to make inappropriate decisions,” says the psychologist. Therefore encourages accept and listen to unpleasant emotions that we experience, since emotions are the words with which the mind communicates with us through the body. This is essential, he says, because if we don’t listen to them, we won’t be able to respond to important needs. This is one of the foundations of emotional intelligence.