

In your body, that means that a person will be consuming double the amount of energy than in regular circumstances. Imagine if you did that - the car would continue consuming gas without moving an inch. Having to stay in a state of indecisiveness or forced compliance means that the autonomic nervous system will keep its two branches activated in unison, similar to pushing the gas pedal and the brake in a car at the same time. Related: 7 Tips for Fighting Racism When You Have Anxiety In my friend, it manifested as anger against the people who were not wearing masks combined with the frustration to stay, with tension from the inability to adapt and the need to check for danger. The result is a mind-body state characterized by a narrow focus of attention the individual is focused on the threat and is ready to respond, though not yet, which creates a state of rigidity both mentally and physically. This “brake” process prevents the expression of the active defense while it activates the slowing down of certain functions imposing immobility, canceling any movement and forcing the system to stay put. That type of activation, “freeze,” according to Kozlowska, et al, (2015), is a flight-or-fight response put on hold she explains it as putting a brake on the activation of the basic motor patterns or flight or fight, like ones you’ve probably heard of: attack, running, treading. Related: How Yoga and Breathing is Helping Me Through the COVID-19 Pandemic It will also try to adjust to being calm, which in this case was to stay for the drink but without the conviction to stay, and submitting instead. It would get ready to start a fight/flight response to contest the danger, which in this case is to prevent the contagion from others.Ģ.
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Related: Download The Mighty app to connect in real time with people who can relate to what you're going through.ġ. We decided to stay, without masks, reasoning that we were respecting social distancing and that the bar was totally open air.

I watched my friends debate between removing their masks, leaving, or staying with their masks on. The way they stared at us seemed to have the intention of making us feel guilty, as if we were doing something wrong. We were indeed the only ones wearing a mask and we felt the disapproval of everyone around.

Everyone stared at us as if we were naked at a family reunion, or better yet, as if we were the only ones dressed at a nude beach. We arrived wearing our masks, and as soon as we entered the bar, most eyes were on our faces. We found a nice open-air bar at the shore where they had a booth for drinks and another for food, and where the tables were dispersed around the sundeck with enough distance between them. Reopening opens up all-new challenges to our mental health and brings a new set of fears.Īfter a nice day at the beach where our social distancing was in place and the risk of contracting the coronavirus ( COVID-19) was minimized with all sorts of precautions, a couple of friends and I decided to stop for a drink before heading back home. Photo of older woman with glasses and blonde hair, standing in darkness and wearing a white face mask to protect against coronavirus
