Overcoming the crisis: therapist gives crucial advice on how to survive the coronavirus pandemic

Exit restrictions and family caring concerns: The Covid 19 pandemic is upsetting. The following tips from an expert help you stay confident.

• There are a number of things you can do to stay in good spirits despite the current situation.
• A behavioral therapist explains how to keep a cool head despite adverse circumstances.
• Here you can also learn how people with mental health problems such as depression * overcome difficult times.

Since Sunday, March 22nd, 2020, strict exit restrictions have applied to all of Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel has called on all citizens to leave apartments and houses only if necessary. The walk to grocery shopping, to the doctor or to work is possible, but a distance of at least 1.5 meters from other people should be kept. Strange measures that save lives : According to the federal government, the primary goal is to slow the spread of the new lung disease Covid-19. The best way to do this is by isolation, since the coronavirus spreads through droplet infection *.

Therefore, it is currently highly recommended to avoid social contacts where possible *. Family reunions, cozy evenings with friends, visits to restaurants or team sports: none of these and similar activities are possible at the moment, which significantly dampens the mood . In addition, there is the bad news in the news about rising Covid 19 cases and collapsing health systems in other countries. How can you stay confident? A therapist gives answers.

Therapist advises: make plans, make calls, create structure

Heike Winter is a practicing behavioral therapist in Offenbach and president of the Hesse Psychotherapist Chamber. She recommends the following strategies to cope with the current situation and the associated uncertainty :

• Creating a feeling of security : "Avoid crowds, strictly adhere to the behavioral tips on Corona. This creates a feeling of security for us," said Winter in an interview with Hessenschau.de.
• Dealing with the facts without panicking : "I can now look at the tiny bar of deaths, or I can look at the very, very large bar of cases in which the virus is absolutely harmless It is important to make it clear that I always have the choice of which bar I am looking at, because once I start thinking like this, it triggers physical reactions in us. Stress hormones are released and so on. "
• Planning the "time after" : Those who make plans can look forward to something. Accordingly, behavioral therapist Winter advises using the time at home to find out what is important to you and then making plans for the time after the crisis.
• Creating structure : "Work gives us the feeling of self-affirmation. It is important to be aware afterwards that you have achieved something," says Winter. She recommends developing routines. Even if you work in the home office, you should continue to set the alarm clock in the morning, brush your teeth and not sit in front of the laptop in your sweatpants. Even those looking for tasks at home, such as cleaning the fridge or building shelves, create structure.
• Exercise : Even if there are strict exit restrictions: outdoor exercise is still possible, if only by yourself or in pairs, if the accompanying person lives in the same household as you. For outdoor sports, a minimum distance of 1.5 meters from others should be maintained. Video portals such as YouTube make it possible to spend yourself at home *: There are various training instructions from yoga to Pilates to back training.
• Exchange ideas : Skype, phone, WhatsApp - even if you cannot be physically close, there is still the possibility to hear and / or see friends and family and to get each other's thoughts.

Video and telephone consultations for people with mental illness

People with mental health problems are hit even harder than mentally healthy people by the current situation, which brings a lot of insecurity and social isolation. That is why psychotherapists, like doctors, are among the professional groups that continue to work to ensure that patients are cared for .

If you are already doing psychotherapy or behavioral therapy, you can continue it as usual in many cases. Simply contact your therapist and discuss the further course of therapy with him or her. Many therapists also offer telephone and video consultation hours. " Even people who have not yet started therapy can continue to start one, " says behavioral therapist Heike Winter.

Do you suspect you are suffering from depression *?

• The German Depression Aid on 0800/33 44 533 offers the opportunity to find out about treatment options.
• The iFightDepression Tool by Deutsche Depressionionshilfe provides help for those who want to do something independently to overcome a mild depression.

Read more : Quarantine because of Covid-19? You have to consider that now.

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