The coronavirus pandemic is having a great emotional and psychological impact on the population, affecting the mental health of the population and significantly increasing the levels of stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, ... This is why from Sustainability they help us to cope with it with information 'pills'. 

The current epidemic of COVID 19 not only has physical consequences in the population, but also has a great emotional and psychological impact, affecting the mental health of the population and significantly increasing the levels of stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, etc.  In addition, it should be borne in mind that efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic include measures such as social distancing, quarantine and isolation, aspects that make this scenario even more difficult.

As Rosa Mª Baños, PhD in Psychology and director of the research group Laboratory of Psychology and Technology (Labpsitec) explains, 'this stressful situation has several aggravating factors. On the one hand, there is a real external danger in today's world (the possibility of contagion), but on the other hand there is also uncertainty about the future: how long it will last, how we will get out, what will happen when we get out... All this leads to negative emotional responses such as fear, anxiety and worry which, when prolonged over time, lead to unstable moods, where everything intensifies and we experience cascades of very varied emotions'.

There are people who are more vulnerable, such as those who suffer from mental or personality disorders or addictions, and whose problems may be intensified as a result of confinement,' analyses the professor of the  Faculty of Psicology. Furthermore, the response to stress also depends on the material and social resources available during this period: the social network available, the number of people one lives with and the relationship one has with them, the situation of loneliness, personal and intimate space, outdoor areas of the home, etc. 

However, although the situation has and will have negative effects, it is not incompatible with the development of certain positive effects. As Baños explains, the human being has a great capacity of adaptation that has been demonstrated throughout history, something that is known as resilience.

Although this situation can generate important psychological problems in some people, there are also other people who after living these situations grow and improve, and can experience positive changes in their sense of life, in the way they perceive the world or in the way they relate to themselves and their environment. This does not mean at all that everything is seen in a positive way, but rather that a great deal of learning is extracted from all this and this makes people come out stronger,' points out Rosa Mª Baños.

The teacher points out that 'when we are faced with stressful situations, even if our control over the situation is weak (as it is at the moment), we can still handle our discomfort so that it doesn't spill over. Although there are no 'magic recipes' that will work for everyone, and make us instantly 'happy', we can put in practice resources and strategies that allow us to be more accepting of this situation and the discomfort it generates'.

For example, it is convenient to establish routines and certain discipline in our activities, to keep setting the alarm clock to maintain sleep schedules, to have periods of exercise and rest, a healthy diet, the possibility of having time to relax, etc. But even for these recommendations there are no generalised prescriptions that serve everyone in the same way. No one knows better than you the resources that help you to feel good and regulate your emotions.

The Labpsitec research team is making available to the university community a series of "pills", consisting of basic "psychoeducation", to help people cope with this exceptional situation.

The basic premises that guide these pills and their spread are: 

• Dosage of the information. At present we are subjected to a great saturation of information through all the media and social networks. Therefore, it is proposed to provide different types of information and resources in a regulated manner for their adequate reception by the university community, and in a brief and summarized format. 
• Normalization of the psychological reactions that arise as a consequence of this situation. It is normal to feel high levels of emotional tension at these times characterized by very high demands of the situation, rapidly changing protocols and measures, high levels of uncertainty, thousands of people infected and dying from the virus, the break from the usual routine and staying at home, among other conditions. In this sense, the message must not be conveyed that everyone is obliged to be happy in this situation, nor to carry out personal growth, nor to see the positive side of things. It's perfectly valid to feel any way. 
• No prescription of techniques or concrete actions. Not everything works for everyone. Each person is immersed in specific circumstances and has individual characteristics, and each person, within their context, has their own possibilities and motivations.
• Psychoeducation. It is important to include information about the mechanisms through which the strategies we propose can help improve people's psychological well-being. For example, it is not a matter of recommending physical exercise per se, but of explaining why physical exercise contributes to psychological well-being.
• Motivating people to identify and share with others their own strategies and resources to make them work. Therefore, it is appropriate to provide a space where people can express themselves and share how they feel in this situation and what things help them feel better.
• Distribution of generic information which, in no case, substitutes for specialized care. They are aimed at the general population. In case the person's own coping resources are not sufficient or the emotional discomfort is very intense or overwhelming, the person should ask for professional psychological help.

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This content has been prepared by the institutional communication area of the Principal’s Cabinet of Universitat de València with the collaboration of the Sustainability Delegation and the Faculty of Psychology.