By Dr. Aien Changkiri
15 June 2021
There are few times wherein the whole of humanity comes together in solidarity. Sadly this time we all fell to
our knees in the wake of a natural disaster in cataclysmic proportions. For as long as we can remember, the 21st century hasn't experienced a paradigm shift of this scale. Ever so seldom, have we as humanity together felt so helpless in the face of disaster. Yes, the pandemic presented itself as a physiological and a medical problem, but there came the underlying psychological implications that have affected even the ones that have escaped from the clutches of the disease. It has affected and impacted society in layers of complexities that are so insidious and numbing. Restrictive measures taken to curb the spread of the pandemic have put the world on halt. With the enforcements of lockdowns, places of work, schools and, all sorts of institutions have been shut; public places and social gatherings prohibited. We found ourselves between a rock and a hard place. Between quarantine, social distancing and, work-from-homes, even the places we search for respite and relaxation were taken from us. The limitation in spaces and activities has inadvertently affected our humanness. Quarantining and isolating ourselves is most likely to have an impact on our mental health in volumes. The results can be highly crippling and may even warrant lifelong effects, especially for individuals working at the frontline, the amount of devastation and loss they see and experience on a daily basis will be enough trauma to live with for a lifetime.
People everywhere have been experiencing a waterfall of emotions. Emotions so layered and complex, they can render you confused as to whether you are feeling too much or you are feeling void and empty. All of these valid and with conviction. After all, our jobs are affected, our academics, our livelihood, and human relations have taken such a big hit. Things are not as they used to be and probably not going to be the same nor is it going back to what it was. It is only normal and practical for us to want life to go back to operating like it was before, but let's be real honest that's more on wishful thinking. Uncertainty has never been the star of the show like it is in today's climate. It is for us to explore the dichotomy of this phenomenon, and ask ourselves, 'Was my life better before this, or is it going to be better after?'. For some, the answer might be clear and might be a black and white situation; for the rest, the loom might be real. Unmitigated by ourselves, we seem to find ourselves facing an existential crisis. We are forced to ask important questions we might have been putting off for a while.
This is where I segue into the whole glass-half-full discourse. Maybe this was the universe telling us to take several seats and reorient. Loneliness and isolation while crippling are some of the times that gives us an opportunity to rediscover ourselves because we are but alone. Perhaps times like these were exactly why Kafka (1965) also wrote "Isolation is a way to know ourselves". Yes, this is maybe not the most original of thoughts or advice, but given that we find ourselves in such a situation, might as well make the most of it. Our physical world is in a state of disarray, and this will automatically send us into a frenzied topsy-turvy of a disposition as an individual too, but if we see this as an opportunity to deflect our visions inward and get in touch with our inner world maybe we can cope and live through this pandemic with less of a collateral damage. While we as a society have come to depend on the tangible to define ourselves and give our life meaning, a lot of the times, the self which ought to be discovered through both the external world and lots of inner work seem to have gotten lost in the web of the modern world.
Isolation has forced us to take a break and tear us away from our veneers, stripped us of our countless masks and personas. All we are left with is us, like it or not. We are made to confront our Self, uncalled for, unprepared. This may come as the lowest points of their lives for some, but it might have been just what we needed. A reconciliation with our Self so that we may go along on our path to individuation. We just might start relying on the self once again, find that synergy and bring a sense of balance to our lives once again. Jung (1953, ¶32) has given merit to such a situation like ours by saying that "… the highest and most decisive experience of all … is to be alone with his own self, or whatever else one chooses to call the objectivity of the psyche. The patient must be alone if he is to find out what it is that supports him when he can no longer support himself. Only this experience can give him an indestructible foundation."
The pandemic among other things comes as a transformative period in everyone's life. A period of self-reflection and discovery, letting the natural world take its course as we also come into our own. Think about the world that's going to be left for us to inherit after the pandemic, it is for us to carry with till we meet the end of the line ourselves. This might be lesser of a task if we are prepared and better equipped mentally to bear the brunt of it all. Let us take this opportunity to heal and transcend as individuals so that even our society will reflect the same growth and elevation.
In the game of life, the greatest trump card we have is our humanity. There is no doubt, that in the face of such tribulation, we have found a way to rise above. The pandemic has affected every demographic of the society, some more than others. As I write this, I acknowledge the immense privilege with which I reflect and ruminate on the subject at hand, a privilege a lot of people haven't been privy to. This may be one of the perfect times handed to us to strip ourselves away from all the extra layers of modern life and see the true likeness of humanity. Sometimes the best comfort is knowing and also letting it be known to others that neither you nor I am alone.
References:
Kafka, F., Brod, M., & Kresh, J. (1965). The diaries of Franz Kafka, 1910-1913. New York: Schocken Books.
Jung, C. G. (1953). Collected works. Vol. 12. Psychology and alchemy. Pantheon Books.