Interview with Cemre Ece Gökpınar Çağlı, Clinical Psychologist

The coronavirus (Covid-19), which has become a global pandemic affecting the entire world, continues to dominate global agendas and shape lives. While Turkey began a planned normalization process as of June, individuals faced intense sociological and psychological anxiety in transitioning to this new period. Although returning to social life generated excitement, the virus's continued transmission brought concern and questions. NP Feneryolu Medical Center Specialist Clinical Psychologist Cemre Ece Gökpınar Çağlı offered recommendations to help us manage the new normal period and shared important information.

How can we describe the psychological state of individuals in the struggle against the coronavirus affecting the entire world?

First and foremost, anxiety is a healthy emotion that protects individuals against dangers. However, high levels of anxiety and panic lead people not to take precautions but to the opposite—make errors and fail to make healthy decisions. During this process, the entire world initially entered intense fear and anxiety psychology, then began attempting to adapt to this situation. Issues such as restrictions, quarantines, social isolation, and job losses can cause individuals to feel depressed. During this process, increased cleaning and hygiene habits can turn into obsessions if not managed properly; individuals need to pay attention to this distinction. "In particular, fluctuations and increases are observed in the course of conditions such as panic attacks, depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, phobias, and eating disorders."

People do not have much information about this virus; this creates uncertainty. Uncertainty brings anxiety and worry. How can we cope with the uncertainty and anxiety caused by the pandemic? How will we manage this crisis psychologically?

Uncertainty is one of the situations that causes the most anxiety in people. When we do not know how a process or event will end, we are likely to fill that gap with negative scenarios. The pandemic process started this way. However, it should not be forgotten during this process that every day the work of scientists is increasing; progress is being made in understanding the virus and reaching treatment. Awareness-raising activities regarding precautions and protection methods continue without losing momentum. Being informed with concrete information from reliable sources, avoiding information pollution, will help us manage this psychological crisis. Staying away from sources such as hearsay, false news, announcements, and audio recordings will make it easier for us to overcome panic and uncertainty.

What are the psychological problems that individuals commonly experience during this period?

Facing many psychological difficulties and problems, what we call psychosomatic conditions—the expression of psychological complaints through body language—can sometimes be mistaken for Covid-19 symptoms, causing panic in individuals. For example, the shortness of breath accompanying panic attacks can be confused with virus symptoms, causing the person to become more anxious and experience more breathing difficulties. During this period, individuals have shown an increase in "contamination" and "cleaning" obsessions. Despite following the specified rules for hand washing, repetitive behaviors have been observed, such as thinking hands are not clean enough or attempting to clean them with substances like bleach. Financial losses and difficulties experienced by individuals, as well as forced experiences such as leaving the life rhythm they were accustomed to, can cause individuals to feel depressed and experience irregularities in sleep and appetite.

What are the psychological disorders and conditions that have emerged as triggered by this period?

In particular, anxiety disorders have emerged with this period, and existing disorders have been triggered and increased. In particular, fluctuations and increases are observed in the course of conditions such as panic attacks, depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, phobias, and eating disorders.

The new normalization period has begun worldwide. What problems will individuals face in transitioning to this new period? Can you share your predictions?

With this process, the balance between panic and precaution must be well-established. Neither sudden relaxation nor continuing with excessive panic is a situation we recommend, as it will negatively affect the person's health. In particular, moving forward without abandoning caution is of great importance. Excessive relaxation, thinking coronavirus is over, can lead to renewed spread of the virus and the return of anxiety-causing processes.

"Let us remember; a certain level of anxiety protects the individual from dangers."

What can we do to manage our minds and anxieties while adapting to the new normalization period? What attitudes and situations should we avoid?

During this process, eliminating anxiety all at once is neither possible nor recommended. Let us remember; a certain level of anxiety protects the individual from dangers. For this reason, when adapting to the normalization process, it is beneficial not to move quickly but to proceed gradually. In particular, during this period, attention should be drawn to possible disagreements within the family. For example, during the normalization period, within a family one spouse may behave more relaxed than the other, worry less. This situation can lead to disagreements, conflicts, or even fights between couples. In this case, rather than couples criticizing and judging each other, it is recommended that they try to understand and find common ground. Let us remember that we all perceive events differently. Proceeding with understanding and explanation rather than blame and defense will prevent such conflicts.

As we know, children are also negatively affected by this period. What attitude should parents have and how should they behave?

The most important topic that must not be forgotten during this period is that "uncertainty," just like adults and sometimes even more, leads children to fear. When a child encounters something they cannot concretize and make sense of, they can feel intense anxiety. For this reason, what the virus is like can be concretized for children through various games, experiments, and pictures. Informing the child is important. Situations such as why we wear masks and why we maintain distance from other people can be conveyed to children through stories and narratives. Parents using a common language and making the child feel that they understand their emotions in a supportive manner will calm the child.

The "new world order" that emerged after the pandemic will affect our lives in every way. How will this new world affect psychology as a science and psychological approaches? Will it bring new interpretations to this field?

Just as it has affected all sciences and fields, I believe it will affect psychology and psychotherapy processes. For example, we are now confronted with new situations such as conducting psychotherapy sessions with masks, online sessions, meetings, and training. We have begun to understand, learn about, and observe areas such as pandemic psychology, quarantine, and home restrictions that we had not previously encountered. I believe that work in this area will increase and will provide very important contributions to this field. We must remember that people's psychological resilience is being tested worldwide, and in the fight against this virus we need our psychological well-being as much as our immune system. Interview: Nükhet Sezer