A very psychobabble way of saying “How are we all doing during this lockdown?” I was curious to see how my own coping methods stacked up against expert recommendations so I did a bit of research.
Initially termed defense mechanisms by Freud (see www.mentalhealth.net) coping mechanisms served to keep us stuck in pathological illness to avoid confronting the negative aspects of our lives. More recently, psychological researchers flipped them around a bit to call them coping strategies and to focus on how they serve to enhance mental health.
I’m not going to list them all here, you can find them easily through a Google search. But I was intrigued to know what Freud and other psychodynamic researchers might have thought of my attempts to cope with COVID-enforced isolation.
Apparently there is a spectrum of coping methods ranging from pathological (basically the end that sends you off into a spiral of darkness) to immature (seen mostly in children and, if seen in adults, they’d be considered somewhat emotionally developmentally stunted) through to neurotic (this is better than immature?) and finally, mature or health-enhancing.
I guiltily counted the number of wine bottles and chocolate wrappers in the apartment. Ok let’s list and categorise.
- Deepak Chopra Meditation
- Virtual chats
- Wine
- Baguettes, the patisserie and general boredom eating
- Being alert to any possible sign of illness with an immediate assumption it is COVID19
- Setting up a blog
- Cleaning the apartment within an inch of its life
- Clapping on the balcony
- Pacing
- Trying to get the cat to adopt a healthier lifestyle by feeding it paraffin oil and taking it for walks
I consulted the spectrum. Hmm. #3, 4 and #7 appear to be examples of acting out, all falling in the Immature coping method category. Acting out is the expression of an unconscious impulse without being consciously aware of the emotion driving the behaviour. #5 and #9 hypochondriasis. Self-explanatory. Also on the immature spectrum. #10. Projection. It’s me that wants to adopt the healthier lifestyle not the cat. Poor cat. Immature again. #1, 2, 6,& 8 Sublimation (transformation of the unhealthy to healthy), Humour and Altruism. OK so 4/10 methods are mature.
Well of course I could re-frame all this. After all, Anticipation is considered a mature coping strategy. Anticipating the lack of food and wine and shopping in advance is constructive and therefore wise and mature. That takes me to 6/10. Pacing is exercise which is good for you and therefore transforms uncertainty feelings into positive energy. Sublimation again. Now up to 7/10. Cleaning is hygienic and therefore good for health. One can never be too thorough in these times. Really, it’s another form of anticipation as is being alert to positive signs of illness, so that makes 9/10.
No matter how I look at it however, I will have to accept that there are not many circumstances where a cat wishes to have paraffin oil voluntarily or wear a lead. Well 9/10 ain’t bad.
The American Psychological Association (https://www.apa.org/practice/programs/dmhi/research-information/social-distancing) recommends limiting COVID news consumption, creating and following a daily routine, staying connected virtually, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and using psychological strategies to manage stress and stay positive.
So I think really all I can add to my list is to maintain a lifestyle for me instead of the cat. I’ve just ordered a Swiss ball online. It’ll turn up the week before the end of lockdown.
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