“I gotta keep breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring”
- Chuck Noland
The current quarantine situation has given many people a lot more free time. It doesn’t take long for one to realize they must branch out a bit to entertain
themselves. For me, it was a perfect time to watch an old favorite movie that seems a
little characteristic of 2020, Cast Away. This film is about a man whose plane crashed and is now living alone on an island. Besides Tom Hanks reminding me what an absolute gem of a man he is, the movie also made me think about mental health in isolation. Tom Hank’s character went through many mental trials during the movie, finding different ways to cope in an isolating situation. Between a mass pandemic and a massive change in lifestyle, it becomes very easy to relate to a change in mental state and mental health in isolation.
I began to ask around my friends and family to see how they were affected. Some reported back positive feelings. For example, one person said the amount of free time and lack of structure to their schedule has actually benefited them. They were now free to plan their day as they saw fit, and they were able to make time for things that they truly enjoyed, like working out or painting. However, there were many, myself included, that could find many unpleasant aspects of quarantine that affected their mental health negatively. I, for one, am usually not great at having an unstructured lifestyle. I tend to stagnate. There’s also more screen time, less face to face
conversations, less time being outside,
and less hugs.
Besides all of these issues, many of the people I spoke with were experiencing additional anxiety stemming straight from the virus itself. Someone told me that when they did have to go outside, they would hold their breath when walking by someone even if they were wearing a mask. They were afraid of the idea of the virus floating through the air, carried by the other person. Another person told me that they would sometimes repeatedly look up symptoms of the virus online, convincing themselves that they might have it. This may only be the proverbial tip of the iceberg, as many people with pre-existing mental health conditions may find themselves in an even worse position. However, there are ways to deal with the anxiety, paranoia, and other emotions that may come.
While working at Arts and Lectures, I was able to hear many intelligent people who were well versed in dealing with mental health. Many of them were involved in psychology research and had to deal with very severe issues themselves. These issues are likely more severe than what the average quarantined person is experiencing right now. Still, I believe that we can gain something by looking through their research and experiences. One interesting academic to look at in this subject is Kay Ramefield Jamison, a previous speaker at Arts and Lectures. Kay is a psychologist who has focused on bipolar disorder, of which she has herself. Kay is interested in looking at exuberance vs happiness. In an interview, Kay suggests “Happiness has a certain static quality to it and a certain contented quality to it… Exuberance is a much more restless state.” Jamison goes into this idea much deeper in her book Exuberance: The Passion for Life. In the book, she talks about how, in her eyes, the people with the most success are those who have found a way to carry their exuberance they had as a child over to their various careers. These people were able to find an excitement in their work that spread to other parts of their life. Perhaps in these times, it may be a good idea to try to reconnect to a source of exuberance in one’s life. Personally, I remember as a child how I would like to pick flowers on the side of the road for my mom, or help pull carrots out of my grandma’s garden with her. During quarantine, I have begun to start my own garden. It does make me a bit happier to work with my plants and try to keep them from collapsing on me.
I also remember an A&L event last May at Campbell Hall with esteemed writer and lecturer Andrew Solomon. Andrew has an article written in the New York Times called “Anatomy of Melancholy”. In this article, Andrew takes a deep and intense look at depression and how he has dealt with it himself. I hope that no one reading this blog is experiencing mental health issues to that degree, and I also don’t think that my current piece has the capacity or resources to comment on those issues. However, in his article, Andrew does say something that I believe can be applicable to anyone. He quotes Martha Manning and says “It may be a sign of character, not of weakness, to know when you have to ask for help”. If you are feeling a sort of mental strain brought on by the quarantine, whether it may be stress, anxiety, or loneliness, I hope you reach out to your loved ones or others that can help you. You are not alone. In times of seeming chaos and mass change, it’s always a good reminder to stay grounded and connected to those around you. I have tried my best to zoom with friends far away, or go on walks with my sister. With that, I wish you all good health!
And maybe name a volleyball Wilson to get a quarantine buddy! (or watch Cast Away one evening if you didn’t get that bad joke).
Kommentarer