The bulk of conversations we have today take on a negative tone, and the impact this has on our mental health is something we cannot ignore. Conversations tend to leave us exhausted, with more problems or concerns added to our plate than before.
We are living during such difficult times and seeing the light at the end of the tunnels seems impossible. Considering all this, the recently-held webinar on managing stress during difficult times by Prof. Piyanjali de Zoysa was a godsend. The webinar was organised by the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) and the Expert Committee for Suicide Prevention (ECPSP).
Prof. Piyanjali de Zoysa presented on the topic in an engaging and interesting manner, sharing anecdotes from her life as well as examples we can all relate to. She is a senior professor and clinical psychologist attached to the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Colombo.
During the webinar, Prof. de Zoysa highlighted the changes we have experienced in the past few months, from power cuts to queuing up for essentials, as well as the medicine shortage and uncertainty about the future.
In addition to this, we have also lived through the Covid-19 pandemic since 2020. “The difference between the pandemic and the economic crisis is that the former affected the entire world, so global efforts were made to find solutions. But when it comes to the economic crisis, Sri Lanka is on its own,” she said, adding that the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019 also affected the country and its people.
Prof. de Zoysa said that there was a sense of hope over 2022, especially since many of us took safety measures like booster vaccinations to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and resume our life. However, the current economic crisis stops us from being able to do this.
Enduring the challenges put forth during these times requires resilience, she noted. “The word resilience comes from physics. There are different strengths of elastic. Some are very fine and the slightest tug will cause them to break. Some elastics, no matter how hard you pull, stay intact. So what type of elastic is your mind? Does it crumble for the slightest thing? Or can it endure many things?” Prof. de Zoysa inquired.
She explained that resilience is one’s ability to adapt to crises. People vary in resilience, and when many things happen at once, it is tougher on the mind. Lower resilience can lead to anger, sadness and fear as well as restlessness and difficulty concentrating. People may also focus more on physical “symptoms”, even if they do not actually suffer from these symptoms.
However, resilience is built over time and Prof. de Zoysa highlighted that most people look for signs of lower resilience or other signs related to mental health in those around them, but rarely focus attention on themselves.
Thus, during the webinar, Prof. de Zoysa shared five things we can do to calm our minds and be more resilient.
- A change of perspective and attitude
“The first and most important thing is to expand one’s perspective on the unsettledness in our society as well as social, economic and political instability and difficulties,” Prof. de Zoysa said, adding that we must keep in mind that there are good times as well as bad times.
This applies to our personal lives as well as society and the country in general. While there are ups and downs, one must always remember that this too, will pass, she said.
- Find meaning and life lessons
The second thing that can be done in times of difficulty is to find meaning and life lessons. She used Viktor Frankl as an example here, as he was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, and writer, as well as a Holocaust survivor.
- Internal locus of control
Prof. de Zoysa also spoke about the internal locus of control, saying that one must strive to do what they can to positively and peacefully change the situation in their life, in society and in the country. This can be in the form of peaceful protests, petitions, or policy development.
However, she reminded the audience that it was okay to not partake in these activities if one does not have the capacity to do so given their job responsibilities, family obligations and duties, and lack of time or energy.
- Present-moment awareness
The most important thing to do is practice present-moment awareness, Prof. de Zoysa said. “Our mind is in three places; the past, the future and a fantasyland. Most people in attendance here logged in with the intention of attending the webinar. This is very valuable since you did it because you wanted to shape your life. However, a few minutes into it, your mind may go to something you have to do in future,” she said.
The clinical psychologist went on to say that some people may be thinking about an incident that took place the previous week while others may think about hypothetical situations.
“We may gain some pleasure in that moment, but we all know that after coming up with these fantasy situations, you are left with a feeling of emptiness. The reason for this is that whenever our mind is not in the present moment, whether it is in the past, future, or a fantasyland, our mind knows it is not reality, it knows it is a lie.”
This is why one must pay attention to their current experience, by keeping the mind on the activity they are doing, noting what the mind is thinking or feeling, and bringing it back to the activity.
Prof. de Zoysa added that being mindful is easy, but it is still something we must practice.
- Spiritual practices
The final step Prof. de Zoysa shared on managing stress during difficult times is developing one’s spirituality. She explained that religion can soothe the agitated mind and spoke about acts or practices like meditation, prayer, gratitude, and acts of kindness.
Concluding the webinar, Prof. de Zoysa shared the following useful hotlines for anyone in need of mental health support:
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) 24/7: 1926
National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) for child-related matters: 1929
Women in Need (WIN) for gender-based violence: 0775676555
Sumithrayo for general mental health: 0112682570, 0112674436
Courage Compassion Commitment foundation for general mental health: 1333
