Коронавирус. Психологические последствия самоизоляции

It seems that the corona crisis is over: we spend less and less time reading updates about infections, bars and museums are reopening, and it’s time to return to work. Yet instead of rejoicing and enjoying ourselves, we encounter unexpected feelings of resistance — anxiety, anger, uncertainty, and many others.
It’s important to understand that quarantine was not a pleasant vacation for us. This period brought its own kind of trauma to everyone and left traces in the soul that we now need to engage with, rather than deny. All these feelings are normal, considering what the modern world has gone through.
In this talk, I will share reflections on emerging from the crisis of self-isolation, drawing on my own experience, as well as that of my friends and clients.

Why is it so difficult for us to show compassion toward ourselves and to allow a gentle return to the world — at our own calm pace, without guilt or judgment? 
 First of all, it’s difficult because we’ve lost contact with society. Life has moved online, and as we all know, people tend to present idealised versions of themselves on social media. Our friends seem to be learning a third language, running ten kilometres a day, completing every course on Coursera, and generally living full, happy lives despite everything. Complaining is not encouraged. As a result, we experience a sense of loneliness within the confined space of our own emotions, without the possibility of genuine support.
 It’s important to understand that this stress is global — everyone has faced the crisis and received their own unique challenge, their own wound, depending on a mix of random circumstances, past experiences, and psychological resilience. Denying this reality is futile.  
Another factor is how time changes its flow in isolation. The days all look the same. Everything happens on a screen: one moment you’re talking to your boss, and the next your workday is over and you’re meeting friends — still sitting at the same desk. The days of the week blur together. This process leads to regression: leaving the house becomes an event and can provoke anxiety. It’s especially hard for people living alone, deprived of any physical contact. Even dating has gone online! On the other hand, families with children are also struggling: parents often find themselves doing two full-time jobs — their regular work and the role of a teacher in online schooling. This inevitably leads to accumulated stress.  It’s also important to recognise that during quarantine, we often have nowhere to direct our anger. The anger at the injustice of what’s happening builds up and can’t find an outlet. Relationships suffer. To help ventilate these emotions, you can try the following exercise: 

Find yourself a quiet, private space for the exercise — no more than half an hour. Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Recreate in your imagination the situation that makes you angry. Recall all the details and allow yourself to feel everything fully. Identify who is the source of your anger: is it the government for its restrictive measures, your boss, your subordinates, the people who ignore quarantine rules, or perhaps the very person who became “patient zero”? What exactly about them makes you so angry?
When you’re ready, open your eyes and write a letter to the person or entity that provokes your anger. Don’t censor yourself. Put everything on the paper. This letter is not meant to be sent — it’s simply a way to release emotion. When you’re done, you may destroy it.
After completing the exercise, take a moment to reflect on your feelings. How did this affect you? Do you feel any relief? Did you experience resistance during the process? 

During a crisis, our old psychological wounds often resurface like ghosts from the past. Quarantine can evoke many difficult emotions — loneliness, helplessness, sadness, and others. The psyche reacts with anxiety, as if we’ve returned to an earlier time when the trauma first occurred.  For instance, an expat might experience a deep sense of loneliness similar to what they felt upon moving to a new country — even though they are now integrated and have meaningful connections. The psyche still fears the return of that earlier pain, and so the anxiety becomes overwhelming.  It’s important to bring yourself back to the present moment — Yes, I feel lonely now, but my situation today is entirely different from what it once was. It can also feel frightening to re-enter the wider world because of past experiences of rejection, perhaps rooted in early parent–child dynamics.  These themes are valuable both for self-reflection and for deeper exploration in analytic work.

Anxiety is one of our most essential emotions. It protects us by signalling danger. It’s important to understand that we can never completely eliminate anxiety — it serves our survival. In times of uncertainty, our task is not to banish it but to soften its intensity.  There are many ways to do this. One is to begin a meditation practice — there are plenty of apps and videos available, such as MindSpace. Another approach is to engage directly with your anxiety. Ask yourself: What is my anxiety about? What am I afraid of? Be as specific as possible. Then continue: And if this happens — what then? Imagine the worst-case scenario. Ask: Can I influence this? Can I let it go?  Often, at this point, the anxiety eases — as if turning on the light in a dark room. Anxiety cannot exist in clarity. If it doesn’t subside, try to evaluate the situation rationally. For example, it may be frightening to think of getting sick. But how likely is it, if you’re staying home, wearing gloves, and avoiding close contact?  
Another way to work with anxiety is through the body. Where in your body do you feel it? What is it like — heavy or light, warm or cold, dense or fluid? What size does it have? Begin to observe it throughout the day: how does it change? What makes it grow, and what helps it soften?  This process helps you build a relationship with your anxiety. Once localised, it no longer overwhelms you entirely. And if you notice that your circumstances change but the anxiety remains the same, perhaps it’s time to ask yourself — can I finally let it go, since it no longer serves me?

Even more anxiety can arise from the inability to help our loved ones — especially when they are far away, in another country. This unbearable feeling of helplessness can be deeply painful, and it’s important to talk about it rather than keeping it inside.
In such moments, it becomes essential to find an inner source of support. For some, this might come from following clear rules set by authorities — “If I do everything right, I’ll be safe.” For others, it may be found in faith, in seeking meaning amid chaos, or in accepting that there may be no meaning at all — that no one is punishing or testing us. Things simply are as they are: we watch Netflix and wait for the world to shift again.
Many people emerge from isolation carrying guilt — guilt for the time they feel was “wasted.” Yet it is crucial to resist this guilt. Time spent surviving, feeling, reflecting, or simply being — is never wasted. 

It is vital to learn how to forgive yourself — to meet yourself with compassion rather than judgment. Here is a simple exercise that can help.
Close your eyes and recall everything you’ve been blaming yourself for during isolation — perhaps weight gain, lack of productivity, laziness, or the feeling of not having adapted well enough. Then, imagine a full-length mirror in front of you. Slowly, your reflection begins to take shape. Step closer — and now your reflection steps out of the mirror.
You take their hands. They begin to confess everything that went “wrong” during quarantine. Listen carefully, without interrupting. When they finish, look them in the eyes and find the strength within yourself to forgive. Treat this person as your dearest friend — someone who needs your kindness right now.
Do what feels natural: maybe embrace them, say something soothing, or simply stay present together in silence. Remain in this visualisation for as long as you need. When you’re ready, open your eyes and take a moment to notice your feelings. It’s helpful to write down what you experienced — this gives the moment a place in consciousness and helps the healing begin. 

The psyche undergoes trials and needs energy to maintain its integrity; this is why there was little strength left for learning, self-development, or exercise. In modern society, there exists a myth that self-development is the ultimate value defining a person’s success. In most cases, this idea is useful, but it can also provoke neurosis when we are unable to meet the high standards of efficiency we impose on ourselves.
It is time to understand that development does not equal happiness. Happiness is the ability to hear yourself, set your own pace, give yourself pauses, and accept your failures with self-compassion. Then, lost money, cancelled important trips, or job losses no longer feel like absolute catastrophes but rather become challenges that can be overcome — difficult experiences that transform and strengthen us.

An unexpected source of support can be your favourite childhood fairy tales. Today, it’s easy to find audio recordings narrated with pleasant voices, bringing beloved childhood stories to life. Play a story before bed, immerse yourself in it, and recall the feelings you had as a child when listening to it from your mother or on a record.
If you can’t find the exact story you loved, any tale that feels interesting or evokes emotions will work. Pay attention to how the main character experiences life – fairy tales are full of irrational wisdom that cannot be captured by reading hundreds of psychology books. For example, consider the story of Ilya Muromets – do you remember that he spent 30 years lying on the stove? Did he feel guilty about it? How do the storytellers explain his “self-isolation”? And how do you explain your own?

Remember that sometimes our psyche may not have enough resources to cope with a crisis on its own. In such cases, it’s important to reach out to a psychologist. If you feel persistently low and your mood does not improve despite external stimuli, consider taking the Beck Depression Inventory test.
Not everyone experienced the quarantine without significant losses. Only you can assess what you’ve lost. Some people may handle a job loss easily, while others may sink into months-long depression. Allow space for your grief. Feeling pain over a closed favourite bar or gym is normal. The world has changed and continues to change, and we do not know when these changes will stabilise. It is crucial to give yourself the opportunity to say goodbye, to create rituals, to let go of what was once deeply important and cherished but is now lost.
It is even harder to write about coping with the loss of loved ones. No text can fully convey the depth of empathy for those mourning in these difficult times. The grieving process is complicated by helplessness, the endless question “how could this happen,” and the inability to be physically present… Managing it alone is very difficult. That’s why I offer two free in-person sessions (not online) for those who lost a loved one during the coronavirus pandemic. Sign up via the form on my website or through a personal message on Facebook.
How are you experiencing the return from quarantine? Do you have any questions or comments? Write to me.
Take care of yourself!

Psychological aftermath and ways of working through it