In these bleak times, when the future seems grim and uncertain, we may stand to gain by cultivating “learned hopefulness”. Instead of falling prey to negativity and its concomitant emotions, we may nurture hope so that the present pandemic is not followed by an epidemic of psychological issues.

Making hope a habit

According to psychologist, Dan Tomasulo, we can intentionally promote our wellbeing by practising certain habits. In his book, Learned Hopefulness: The Power of Positivity to Overcome Depression, he provides seven strategies for enhancing our hope after surveying the psychological literature. As there is no unifying theory of hope, Tomasulo provides different tools to inject more hope into our lives.

He argues that people with high levels of hope believe they are in the driver’s seat of their lives, and are filled with zest to accomplish goals they have chalked out for themselves.  When they encounter obstacles, they exhibit resilience and resourcefulness by seeking out alternative paths. So, instead of waiting for hope to knock at your door, you can bring hope into your life, however stark and stormy it may seem in the moment. When you make hope a habit and don’t let yourself succumb to the doomsayer in your head, you have acquired learned hopefulness.

The 7 strategies of learned hopefulness

1. Look for possibilities

The first habit of hopefulness entails seeing possibilities even in the face of roadblocks. Instead of being stymied by setbacks, how can you maneuver around them? Develop what psychologist Carol Dweck calls a “growth mindset” wherein you believe that abilities, talents, skills, habits and personalities are not set in stone but amenable to change. Whereas a fixed mindset compels you to dwell on deficiencies and limitations, a growth mindset impels you to focus on possibilities and progress. Failure is not the end of the road but a reminder that you may have to course correct.

2. Focus on your blessings

Next, Tomasulo coaxes you to look out for “beauty, benefits, and blessings.” Cultivating a habit of gratitude can help you notice flecks of light even in the dimmest of days. Though the times are tough right now, list three things you can be thankful for. Most people admit that the pandemic has made them realise how much we used to take for granted before Covid catapulted our lives. Inculcate gratitude into your daily or weekly routine so that you appreciate all that is going right for you.

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Adding to the impact of social isolation is the anxiety about the dreaded coronavirus. As a psychiatrist, I am not going to engage you in a long-drawn therapeutic process or suggesting that your anxiety is baseless. The fears brought on by the virus are real but the key to dealing with those fears are also real, and they are also quite simple.

I list a few practical suggestions that will prove useful to most of you in caring for your mental health during lockdown. For those who are acutely suffering, I would suggest reaching out to a mental health professional.

7 ways to take care of your mental health during lockdown

1. Change the Perspective

One of the severest forms of punishments is solitary confinement in jails. Those of us who are at home or in familiar surroundings with our loved ones by our side will do well to remember that this is not a punishment. We should stop comparing this lockdown with being locked up in prisons. In fact, you could change your view of the lockdown and think of it as a noble act for the sake of humanity because your staying at home is not just for your own benefit but also for the welfare of your fellow beings.

2. Have a routine

I cannot overemphasize enough the importance of having a daily routine. Sure, it requires self-discipline and determination but the effort is worth it. Little things make a big difference: waking up at a same time each day, eating meals around the same time, limiting time for news and social media, allocating time for leisure/hobbies, exercising and meditation. Starting and finishing your workday at an appointed time even if you are working out of home is another important aspect of following a routine. Doing this will make you feel productive and engaged with life. Without a routine, your days will become chaotic and unproductive and lead to overthinking and anxiety.

3. Stay connected

While the fears of excessive internet usage are real, smart use of technology can enable us to remain connected with our near and dear ones when we are being deprived of their physical presence. Having said that, we ought not to forget those loved ones who we live with under the same roof. Being together 24×7 has its challenges—for instance, since the lockdown began reports of increased domestic violence and spousal abuse are coming from around the world including India. It is crucial that each of acts as a source of comfort to those around us, giving them the right amount of attention while at the same time providing them their own space. One practical way to create joy at home is to help in household chores and do activities like cooking and cleaning together.

4. Stay active

Physical exercise is essential for your overall wellbeing—physical, mental and emotional. It is well-established that moderate exercise releases endogenous peptides called “happiness hormones” that cross the blood-brain barrier resulting in improved mood. Besides, regular exercise enhances your immunity and helps you fight infections—something we all want during a pandemic.

5. Engage in something new

All of us, at some time or the other, have felt like learning something new but the busyness of life prevented us from ever seriously pursuing it. Consider this lockdown as an opportunity to fulfil your heart’s desire to take up a hobby or acquire a skill. Whether you want to start gardening, learn a new language, write a book or try your hand at playing the guitar, this is the time to do it.

6. Finish a pending endeavour

This is an extension to the previous point. You may have started something but were compelled to leave it unfinished because of other priorities. Perhaps it was something important like finishing the half-written will or arranging your financial records. Or it could be something as simple as calling up that friend you have been meaning to get in touch with.

7. Cultivate positive emotions

As we grow, we begin to take ourselves too seriously. We get preoccupied with work pressures, family obligations, health issues and other such matters, in the process losing touch with the lighter side of life. But a sense of humour and the ability to laugh at oneself is a quality that can take the edge off all the hardships we face. During this lockdown, make it a point to spend some time each day watching or reading something funny and share jokes with your family and friends.

The above 7 ideas are meant to make it easier to endure the undue strain on your mental health during lockdown. But I strongly recommend that you continue following these suggestions even after the lockdown is relaxed or lifted as they will raise the quality of your life.

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For example, cattle suffer from the cowpox virus, but appear to have a species immunity to the closely related smallpox viruses, whereas in humans, smallpox is a deadly disease while cowpox is a mild localised skin infection. Humans are susceptible to the HIV virus, but most of our related primates are immune to HIV, though they do suffer from HIV-like viruses to which we appear to be immune.

The bat coronavirus, quite surprisingly, underwent a mutation [tweaking of its genetic code to modify its antigenic structure] in a highly specific, intelligent and programmed manner. Two highly specific surface antigens that prevented its entry into the human host cells inexplicably altered themselves in a manner that opened the gateway to the cells of mankind and his nemesis.

Conspiracy theories and speculations

There’s been endless speculation and the conspiracy theorists are having a field day about the origins of this zoonotic [originating from other species] disease.

Could this be the hand of God, or then the machination of an eccentric scientist working at the behest of a regime that will stop at nothing in its relentless pursuit of wealth and power? It’s nearly impossible for anyone to know the truth. The fact remains that the Pandora’s Box was opened, and the question of who opened it is totally superfluous.

Is this the World war III?

Whichever way the mutation might have occurred—whether spontaneously or genetically engineered in the lab—it does seem to be an act of retribution. By the “almighty” if spontaneous or then by the worst enemy of mankind—man himself. This pandemic has metamorphosed into a war, possibly World War III.

The earlier two world wars were also mired in stories of vendetta, but they were limited to the destructive capabilities of the armamentarium of the aggressors. The armamentarium of this war, though, is limitless; the virus can multiply ad infinitum, and has no known antidote. It is loosening the soil into which the roots of existence were firmly anchored. It is a silent, merciless predator, that destroys not just the lungs of the victim but the lungs of civilization—the economy.

As things stand, we are powerless against this act of vengeance. An ultra-microscopic strand of DNA, that has the genetic program to exterminate the entire human species—it is really hard to comprehend and imagine.

The road ahead

The road ahead looks bleak and fraught with grave dangers. A war with no end. A war that ridicules the stockpiles of arms and renders them totally impotent. A war that will be fought by a brigade in white. A task force, that works in the microscopic domain.

A war, where protection is not afforded by deep underground bunkers but by a thin veil of impenetrability at the level of microns. This microbe has certainly rendered futile the advances and accomplishments of technology. It has forced mankind on the back foot and firmly rubbished claims of its abilities to control and subjugate the environment. This just might be a quantum virus, the likes of which we have never encountered before. Quantum because it is simultaneously inflicting both mind and matter. Also because it has reduced mankind to a Shrodinger’s cat—simultaneously dead and alive.

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