Specialist delivers relaxation strategies and techniques to face times of pandemic

The activity was carried out within the framework of the joint actions proposed by the Comprehensive Support Plan and the Graduate Monitoring Office (OSE) to accompany professionals, students and officials during the health crisis.

Various instances have been carried out since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the purpose of supporting and alleviating the different emotional problems caused by the quarantine. On this occasion, the person in charge of delivering some practices to face this discomfort was the academic from the ULS Department of Psychology, Mg. Mauricio Cerda, who suggested different strategies and techniques that can be carried out from home.

“The health emergency has caused us a certain degree of uncertainty or fear, and there are some indicators that indicate that ordinary people have been greatly affected in their emotional state, especially in their mental state, so that in some cases it seems be increasing the psychological conditions themselves. These emotional discomforts can translate into some degree of dissatisfaction, annoyance, unpleasant experiences as a result of what is happening, fear, confinement or quarantine,” said the academic.

To contextualize, the specialist referred to some principles that underlie the suggested strategies and techniques. “When we find ourselves in these normal conditions, our own biological and psychological constitution allows us to be in balance, healthy and feel good. But we also know that due to the different circumstances that may arise in life, human beings can lose that balance and well-being; and when this occurs, the human being has the ability to recover it, which is known as a self-healing capacity; Often people do not know how to use them, and that is where specialists in different disciplines help people recover their state of mental health when it has been lost; Therefore, people can learn strategies and techniques that activate these healthy or self-healing capacities,” he emphasized.

Among the strategies that can be useful in this pandemic period, the academic mentioned external ones, such as eating a healthy diet, doing physical exercises, connecting with nature, negotiating with the family about the use of common spaces, computers or music, connect with friends and relatives, use music to sing or dance, play games, and be careful with alcohol consumption. While in the internal type, he recommended performing relaxation techniques, imagery or mindfulness, listening to relaxation music and praying.

In the session, the psychologist taught how to perform the “4-step breathing” exercise, to be used in moments of great anxiety, worry or tension, and also the “Breathing for inner serenity” exercise, focused on those people who feel anguish, fear or uncertainty.

The professional advised to carry out all these practices regularly, since in this way the improvement of the emotional discomfort that affects people around the world will be reflected in a more efficient and effective way, mainly in this time of uncertainty.

Written by Daniela Ledezma, Comprehensive Support Plan