Still room for smiles

With the world fighting an 'accelerating' pandemic, finding reasons to be optimistic becomes more vital than ever before.

When all this is over, we might come back home one day, having travelled in a crowded metro, and instinctively run to wash our hands. Remember how all our mothers nagged us to do so all right through our teens in those simpler, pre-Corona days? In a post-Corona world, it wouldn’t strike us to snigger at her nor would it be unusual for us to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ or ‘Baby, one more time’ or whatever we are singing now to ensure that all-important 20-second wash. We are creatures of habit after all and we will get used to everything — the good stuff just as much as the bad.

At least, that is a legitimate hope to cling to in these panic-inducing times.

With hundreds dying and thousand falling sick every day and people across countries in isolation, preaching optimism might appear facetious, but is necessary.

In fact, amidst all the chaos, there are many positive stories to be found. Last week, there was news about how air quality has improved in several cities now that traffic has reduced considerably.

The dirty canals of Venice, it was reported, were looking clear again and dolphins (yes, dolphins) have been spotted. Seems like a sort of enforced pause to the destruction we are mindlessly inflicting upon nature, isn’t it? Heartening also are reports of people caring for each other (of course, there are exceptions), warning and safeguarding each other and thinking of themselves more as a community than as individuals.

There are precious lessons in there, lessons we all better ingrain within ourselves, if we are to emerge stronger from this pandemic and make our world a better place, never mind how cliched that sounds.

Here are some lessons that struck us:

1 Good hygiene is always good

Washing your hands, keeping yourself and your surroundings clean, teaching others to do so, sneezing into a tissue paper — do not give up on these. You can never go too wrong with cleanliness ever. It took a pandemic for us to sanitise and disinfect our public places and transport. But really, this sounds like something we ought to keep up.

2 Regress not to selfishness

As anxious as we all are, it is also true that we are looking at ourselves as a community fighting a wily adversary. Thinking of the common good of the society as a whole is an attitude we certainly need dollops of. While at it, we could also do with a little more civic sense and kindness. Clapping together certainly makes for great optics, but let us not stop at that.

3 Work from home more

The virus has shown us clearly how vital it is for organisations to build the infrastructure for more employees to work remotely and effectively.

The technology exists and it is up to us to utilise it. Working from home not only builds employee trust, but also prevent unnecessary commuting that contributes to the pollution in our cities and towns.

4 Keep caring for the planet

Let this collective concern for the world, and where we are heading to, not be just a knee-jerk reaction to a crisis. If the virus has taught us anything at all, it is to hunker down. Cut down on consumption, buy only what you need, recycle, upcycle, go back to the basics — in short take better care of our planet and make sustainability a lifestyle.

You know, it might just help us survive another pandemic if and when it arrives.

Learn from an introvert

Introverts have been whispering for a while now that this is their age. With several countries under lockdown and people cooped up in their houses, it almost seems like they were fortune-telling.

Many introverts have taken to social media to explain (read gloat) about how social distancing is what they have been doing all their
life.

‘Ha-ha, now you better learn from us’ is the message and since it is rather rare for introverts to crow about anything, everyone’s giving them a long rope.

Jokes apart, spending time on your own can be greatly rewarding. Use the downtime to spruce up your place; listen to that music you have been wanting to for two decades, play that game, watch that movie...you get the drift.

That said, no one is stopping you from Facetiming or video-calling your friends and family. Set up a candlelight dinner at home... not your thing? Why not a home spa? Indulge in Instagram antakshari like television celebrities are doing — it certainly looks like great fun.

Make up fun games with your kids, play scrabble, build your own crossword — the options are endless.

For the anxiety-ridden

Life has gotten that much tougher for people who are already suffering from anxiety or are going through bouts of depression. Psychiatrists are stressing that such people must do their best to continue with their pre-set routine. “This is not the time to be lazy and succumb to fears; months of counselling will then go down the drain,” says Dr Babu. He advises patients to not stop their medication (if they are taking any), and if the need arises, not hesitate to call or e-mail their primary caregiver even if they cannot visit them physically. “Stay connected to those who matter to you — quarantine does not mean you are not allowed to hear each other’s voices.”

Keep panic at bay, this way

Is anti-anxiety advice actually making you more anxious? Are you panicking reading those tweets and posts about how you ought to tackle anxiety these days? You are not alone. As Dr Venkatesh Babu, consultant psychiatrist at Fortis Hospitals says, communication (or the lack of it) is the root cause of all anxiety, whether it is about the Coronavirus or any other stress-inducing factor. It is easy to give in to fear and panic in the face of such unprecedented uncertainty; however, all is not lost and there are many ways to keep yourself centred. Some pointers:

Get your information right

As Dr Babu puts it, “the biggest cause of anxiety is the absence of correct information.” His advice to cope with the current pandemic-induced stress is to learn the facts (even if they happen to be scary). However, stop there. Too much information aggravates stress. “Avoid fake news and do not rely on inauthentic news sources. Follow simple instructions such as washing hands and keeping social distances. And pay attention to where you are getting your news from.”

Identify the source of your anxiety

If hyperventilating tweets are making your hands clammy, simply stay away. If screeching anchors make your head spin with thoughts of an apocalypse, switch off. The advice is simple — identify what is causing you anxiety and make a conscious effort to keep that factor away. Yes, everyone knows one cannot keep totally away from social media, television or the Internet but caution needs to be exercised. Dr Babu says, doctors, who are often at the forefront of emergencies and crises, follow a simple rule to combat their own panic.

“As doctors, we look at the variables we can control and try to keep a check on them; we ignore the variables we cannot do anything about.” For example, the fact that a doctor has to see infected patients on a daily basis is a variable he cannot control; however, how well he sanitises himself after he examines one, is a variable that is certainly under his control.

Don’t skip your routine

The best way to deal with stress is to follow a disciplined routine, advises the doctor.

Practice self-care, in whatever form that works for you. Indulging in family activities such as indoor games, journaling, singing, dancing and even eating together, can go a long way in alleviating panic. “A regular routine that incorporates a good, balanced diet, exercise, time with family, some me-time, and a few spiritual activities such as meditation, will bring comfort and stability in these stressful times,” he says. “With effort, it is possible to learn to calm yourself down.”