We all know by now that I’m a health and wellness guy. Part of my goal here is to impart some wisdom and advice not only in terms of finance and leadership but in what makes life good. For us as professionals, as men, as fathers and husbands, there’s more to life, more to fulfillment, than a good career.
Our lives are multi-faceted. One of the things that will absolutely impact your quality of life in every regard is your health. I think for me, especially as I get older, health has become more and more of a priority.
Of course, there’s more to good health than eating well and getting enough sleep and exercise. Health also means taking care of ourselves mentally. As men, it’s a lot more difficult to talk about mental health. Let’s be honest — a lot of us were taught to just “tough it out” when it comes to stress, anxiety, and depression. We think we should be “stronger” than all that. However, mental health issues impact men. We can’t ignore them, especially if we want the best quality and performance in life.
Specifically, the COVID-19 pandemic has been taking a mental and emotional toll on us. Learning how to identify and manage these psychological and psychosocial effects is key in maintaining and improving our lives during turbulent times.
Identifying & Managing 3 Psychological Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic
1) Cognitive Dissonance
The notion of cognitive dissonancewas coined in the 1950s by social psychologist Leon Festinger. It is the discomfort we feel when simultaneously holding two contradicting beliefs (or cognitions). When faced with cognitive dissonance, we usually find a means to justify one cognition and reduce the conflict we feel internally. This allows us to believe we’re living more consistently.
What role does cognitive dissonance play in the pandemic?
Cognitive dissonance can lead to cognition, an idea, becoming truth in our minds. We bend and jump every hoop possible to eliminate that dissonance, even in the face of evidence to the contrary. This is what often leads to partisan politics and, as we’ve seen, the politicization of a virus — a virus that doesn’t care whether you vote red or blue!
We have ideas about how the world should work. COVID-19 has introduced a dissonance that can lead to some irrational justifications for our behavior — behavior that impacts not only our own health but the health of those around us.
We defeat cognitive dissonance not by digging our heels into to confirm one cognition: we defeat it by remaining open to new and emerging information, willing to fact-check, willing to investigate. This will allow us to do what is more responsible and healthy, both mentally and physically.
2) Chronic Stress
Some 56 percent of American families report negative mental effects due to chronic stress brought on by the pandemic. These mental health effects often manifest themselves physically. Poor sleep quality and chronic nightmares, irritability, headaches and stomach aches, and other mood changes are all common.
Stress is a killer. While stress itself won’t kill you, the physical effects of stress on the body can take a toll and lead to premature death. Increased cortisol (the stress hormone) levels can lead to degradation of memory, poor immune function, and cardiovascular issues, including high blood pressure.
How do we manage stress? There plenty of strategies, many of which I have written on. Many times, effective stress management comes down to being aware of your stress and being intentional in dealing with it. Get enough exercise. Eat well. Take care of your body. Make room to relax. The chronic stress of the pandemic won’t go away overnight, but you can better manage it and prevent it from truly hindering your quality of life.
3) Depression & Despair
Some experts think we’re on the cusp of a suicide crisis. We’ve already heard too many stories of healthcare workers, unable to cope with the intense pressure and constant death, who have ended their own lives. Economic crises can, too, lead to suicidal thoughts and actions.
As of the writing of this article, the FCC has unanimously designated the number ‘988’ for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, please call 988.
Depression and despair are real consequences of the pandemic. If they reach an extreme, we do see suicides as a result. Economic troubles, social isolation, loss of community, and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness contribute to these feelings.
Beating depression isn’t as easy as “snapping out of it.” We all feel spells of depression from time to time, but it’s critical to seek help if you find yourself experiencing chronic depression or suicidal ideation.
We need to prioritize our mental and emotional wellbeing during this time. Eat well. Exercise. Sleep enough. Maintain social connections. Limit your intake of news and social media.
While we won’t likely come out of this with our health unscathed, we can do our best to manage it well.
What mental health struggles are you overcoming during the pandemic? Share your experience in the comments.