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While some countries are reducing their blockades, many people around the world are still staying at home and distancing themselves socially to curb the spread of COVID-19. This can be a struggle, with confinement and uncertainty fueling anxiety, stress and loneliness. But some people have spent long periods of time living, and thriving, in isolation, and have tips that could help even after lifting the locks.
Amir Hekmati He spent 5 years in prison in Iran, of which 18 months were in solitary confinement. At one point, he was sentenced to death for being “at war with God” for having served in Iraq as a US Marine.
“The most difficult challenges were the endless torment of the unknown,” he said. “The ‘When will this end?’ and having to sit helpless while your life, liberties and aspirations pass you by. “
Rebecca Cook / Reuters
But after an initial period of shock, Hekmati said he learned that he had to accept what he couldn’t change about his situation.
“Acceptance is the first step,” he explained.
He also tried to accept his worst case scenario: his execution. “Once we can accept that worst outcome, our minds change to doing the best,” Hekmati said. “I started to find something strange in my situation. I was reading more than ever and I felt much closer to God spiritually.”
He said we can all find things to be thankful for, even during this difficult time. And he suggested writing a daily routine, which includes reading, exercising, and getting enough sleep.
“You need a game plan and structure,” he advised. “Once you start to feel anxious, you try to reach the next milestone of your day.”
Courtesy of Jay Buckley.
Jay Buckey, a former NASA astronaut who orbited Earth on the Columbia space shuttle with six crewmates in 1998, also said that maintaining a schedule is important when we experience confinement.
“If you are anxious, you can go back and think, ‘What is the trigger that is making you anxious and is it as bad as you think?'” He explained. “It helps you develop action plans.”
If you have a discussion with family members, partners, or roommates, he recommends keeping the communication focused on the issue at hand and “not saying things that you know will aggravate the other person just because you want to get back to them.” . “
Reducing stress is just a tip in a NASA-funded online toolkit launched by Buckey and his team at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. The program has trained astronauts and Antarctic explorers to deal with stress, depression, and conflict management. Buckey said it can also help the rest of us deal with isolation and confinement.
“The program is designed to help you identify the problems you’re facing, brainstorm some creative solutions, and come up with a plan for what you’re going to do,” he said.
Courtesy of Karin Jansdotter.
Karin Jansdotter knows a lot about the challenges of the running of the bulls. She leads a team of six at Norway’s Antarctic Troll Station, so remote that the closest sign of civilization is a Russian research station some 240 miles away.
“Being active is the first piece of advice I would give,” he said. “The other is to give everyone a space to be alone … Have a tidy house, less clutter, less stress.”
Jansdotter, the chef at his station, also suggested eating healthy foods, including vegetables and fruits, to strengthen the immune system.
If you’re alone, get in touch with family and friends, he recommended, adding that this may also be a good time to look inside.
Courtesy of Rachel Murray.
“Take this time now to reflect and slow down and appreciate the people around you,” said Jansdotter. “I think that is the best advice I can give where we live here.”
Buckey, the former astronaut, agreed.
“Sometimes we don’t really appreciate the homes we have, the people we care for and who take care of us,” he said. “These kinds of events highlight the importance of that.”
Rachel Murray said her isolated experiences also gave her a new sense of appreciation. For several years, it was stationed in Antarctica at the McMurdo Station of the American Research Base. Most recently, she has been working as a scientific technician at Summit Station, an Arctic research station funded by the National Science Foundation.
Courtesy of Rachel Murray.
“Every time you leave, you appreciate something you didn’t know you had before,” he explained. He liked to smell the flowers again and eat what he wanted.
We can all use the lessons we are learning now to help us as the blockages are lifted, he said.
“When we get out [of this isolation]”He said,” We will appreciate being able to hug someone and do things that we have not been able to do. “
