![Containment and Covid-19: looking to the future for a better mental state](https://img.passeportsante.net/1000x526/2021-01-06/i98919-covid-19-confinement-psychologie-positive.jpeg)
Stress, anxiety, discomfort … The successive confinements undermine the minds of people. To find out how they impact their psychological health, British scientists have conducted research, based on different character traits.
Positive psychology
Since the start of the global epidemic, everyone has lived according to the circulation of the coronavirus. The habits of life had to change and the social life was transformed somewhat. Each person tries to keep their spirits up. To provide sound advice, researchers at the University of Surrey, UK, analyzed the role of three psychological interventions: nostalgia, gratitude and the best ” me Possible. They also studied other characteristics, such as the regulation of emotions, such as the ability to act on one’s own emotions or “ attachment orientations », That is, how a person sees his relationships with others. According to British scientists, they could influence the behavior of an individual during periods of imposed isolation. To carry out their study, they collaborated with 216 participants, each of whom was divided into one of the working groups and into a control group. For the nostalgic approach, the volunteers were tasked with recalling a sentimental memory, which occurred before confinement. Regarding gratitude, people were asked to list three positive things in their day and indicate why those things made them happy. In the third group, the participants had to think about what they would like to do in the future, during the deconfinement. As for the control group, people were asked to remember the plot of a recently seen movie. All participants were then asked about their thoughts and feelings.
Look to the future rather than the past
The researchers found that people in the gratitude group reported higher levels of social connection than those who were nostalgic. Also, their emotions are more positive than for individuals integrated into the nostalgic group. Caring for others and practicing gratitude directs them to positive aspects of their lives. In addition, scientists have observed that people who have low attachment anxiety (they think they are worthy of love) and those who believe that others are trustworthy are likely to optimize their well-being. during periods of confinement. In order to preserve people’s mental health, especially during confinement, the researchers conclude that ” three interventions have been shown to be beneficial for people going through a difficult period in their life […] We have found that looking to the future and appreciating what is positive in our lives right now is more psychologically beneficial than remembering the past. For our well-being, we must recognize what we have rather than regret what we have lost “.