What are some good suggestions during the pandemic when people are often confined and generally in a bad mood?

Hi there! I'm happy to see you're actively looking for ways to help.

The previous respondents have already given some great answers, and Lin'er would like to add a little bit here. During the pandemic, make sure you listen to music!

Enjoy watching TV!

Choose your favorite music from music websites. It doesn't matter if it's sad or angry—the most important thing is to have more upbeat and happy music. Then play it and listen to it, especially the ones with a strong rhythm.

Then dance to music while listening to it. It doesn't matter if your home is small, you can still dance in place. You can also buy some fitness equipment. Just tell yourself, "I'm so happy, I'm so blessed." Hypnotize yourself: if you're feeling down, pretend to be happy.

Dancing and exercising can really help to lift your mood.

Watch TV. Watch something useful, like documentaries, the news, variety shows, or dramas. You can watch whatever's on TV. There's no harm in feeling moderately depressed. Just remember to maintain your routine and pace. As long as you feel at peace with yourself, that's fine.

Eat less. It's easy to overindulge when you're at home. Drink more water and eat less of everything else. It'll not only relieve the pressure of stocking up, but it'll also be good for your body.

There's nothing better than being able to do more housework and serve your loved ones at home.

You can also do some side work online, like translation, wiki work, or answering questions on the "1mind" platform. This helps others while relieving your own stress. Lin'er has gone through puberty, so she focuses on helping children around puberty to relieve their emotions and see the light. Lin'er feels that it is very meaningful, and she has also been healed herself by sublimating her pain. It is better to let it be seen.

Lin'er also suggests a few books that you might find helpful: Zhou Ling's "Cognitive Awakening" and "Cognitive Drive," Huang Shiming's "Stop Your Inner War," and Zeng Laode's "The I Ching Is Really Easy." These books are designed to enhance cognitive abilities and are distinct from pure positive psychology. They are not about self-deception or a quick fix, but rather about self-exploration. Lin'er would like to share a quote with you: "Think more about what we can do for others, and the world will be a much better place! Move around, no matter what you do, you will feel much better!"

What have we learned from the pandemic? There have been some challenges, but there have also been some positive outcomes. Could it have even given our metabolism a boost?

Dear Host, I hope my answer will be of some assistance to you.

It is understandable that during a pandemic, when there are frequent lockdowns, people may feel uneasy when their normal lives are suddenly interrupted and disrupted. While anxiety is a mild feeling, extreme discomfort is a more severe emotion. In light of the current situation where each of us may face quarantine and lockdown at any time, it is crucial to find ways to ease our minds.

I would like to present some suggestions for your consideration:

In terms of supplies, it is advisable to prepare for potential challenges and maintain a moderate stockpile to mitigate material anxiety.

During the 60-day lockdown in Shanghai, the scarcity of supplies emerged as a significant challenge. My colleague observed that even basic items like food, vegetables, and everyday essentials like tissue paper became scarce and highly sought after. Initially, many assumed that essential services like delivery and takeout could continue as usual.

It became apparent that not only were people unable to leave their homes, but supplies were also unable to enter. This led to a significant level of panic, given the potential impact on our survival.

In light of the ongoing prevalence of epidemics, it is prudent to maintain a modest supply of essential items such as rice, flour, oil, and toilet paper. These commodities are typically readily available, and their scarcity is not immediately apparent. However, in the event of a genuine shortage, their importance will become evident.

It is advisable to ensure that our family has sufficient supplies for a period of between half a month and a month, depending on the circumstances at home. There is no need to stockpile excessively, as this will inevitably result in waste and occupy unnecessary space. We should also have confidence in the government's ability to implement a rationing system in due course.

It is therefore only necessary to "moderately" stock up, without going overboard. This will not only provide reassurance, but also avoid material anxiety. It will also ensure the family's food and clothing needs in the early stages of the lockdown, and meet our most basic survival needs.

2. It is important to maintain a regular eating and sleeping schedule, and to prioritize your physical and mental health.

During the period of quarantine, it is important to maintain a sense of order and routine. Without a structured schedule, it is easy for our lives to become chaotic and our state of mind to deteriorate. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize maintaining a sense of order and routine during this time to ensure a smooth transition back to normalcy.

It is essential to take responsibility for our own health by ensuring adequate rest, nutrition, and a balanced diet. Additionally, incorporating daily exercise into our routines through live broadcasts on our phones can help maintain overall health and resilience during this challenging period. By doing so, we can better prepare ourselves to handle sudden changes and the inevitable emotional fluctuations that come with the lockdown.

Despite the inability to leave the house and interact with the outside world, we were still able to maintain a healthy relationship with our bodies.

3. There are a number of ways to alleviate anxiety and tension.

It is worth noting that some individuals do not perceive the lockdown during the pandemic as a significant issue. They view the isolation as an opportunity to engage in personal activities, such as reading, meditation, and other pursuits they enjoy.

To illustrate, Newton is an example of such a person.

During the suspension of the university and the outbreak of the plague, Newton returned to his mother's home in the countryside. In his subsequent recollections, he stated:

"All of this occurred during the two-year period of the plague of 1665-66. During that time, I was at the height of my creative career and attached more importance to mathematics and philosophy than at any time since.

During the epidemic quarantine, Newton continued his research and development, laying the groundwork for his future work, which included calculus, universal gravitation, optics, and the study of light behavior. Even if you are not a science student, you are likely familiar with these terms.

Newton was only 23 years old when he was engaged in this research. It is notable that, despite being isolated due to the pandemic, he did not merely pass the time but rather immersed himself in his interests and continued to develop professionally.

It is important to note that the current epidemic situation does not necessarily impede our growth and development. There are still many ways to pursue personal growth and development from home. During the epidemic, I have been reading extensively about psychology, listening to numerous psychology courses, and providing psychological assistance to people online. This has been a highly meaningful and valuable experience for me.

During this period, I have also made significant progress in my professional abilities and have established connections with numerous individuals who share similar interests and goals.

Additionally, there are other methods for alleviating anxiety, such as mindfulness meditation and other specific psychological techniques you previously mentioned. Writing is also an effective way to promote healing. You can also connect with friends online and over the phone to discuss your experiences, share insights about the challenges of self-isolation, and learn from their perspectives. Engaging in these conversations can foster greater openness and understanding. Participating in live video sessions and group exercises can also be beneficial for maintaining physical and mental wellbeing while fostering connections with others.

I hope these suggestions are helpful in these uncertain times. I encourage you to take care of yourself, maintain a healthy mindset, and embrace positivity.

Hello. I give you a 360-degree hug.

The pandemic has been going on for almost three years now, and it has changed the lives of many people and shaped many of our habits. Some of these changes will become permanent.

The pandemic has made lockdowns the new normal. People are prepared for the worst, and many who used to eat out and buy takeaways have started stocking up on food for their families. People predicted a surge in consumer spending after the lockdowns were lifted, but this has not happened.

The impact of the epidemic on people is far-reaching and not just a matter of closure, which is highly contingent.

The biggest impact of the pandemic on us is psychological. Even if life returns to normal, we will inevitably think more. We must therefore consider how to deal with isolation during the pandemic lockdown.

We must consider the following aspects.

First and foremost, you must accept the situation.

The affairs of this world can be divided into three categories: your affairs, his affairs, and the affairs of heaven.

You control your own destiny. You decide whether or not you want to study and whether or not you want to work hard.

His business is other people's business. That includes whether other people want to study or work.

Things that are out of our control are considered force majeure. You can't guarantee that you will get first place in the exam even if you study hard. The pandemic is something that can't be avoided if you don't want it to happen. You can only write about things that are beyond your control and that you can only leave to fate.

The pandemic is out of our hands. Many people are pushing things in a certain direction, but at the end of the day, it's an uncontrollable and uncertain situation for us as individuals.

The pandemic is here, and while we can take steps to protect ourselves, we cannot control how others act.

We must accept the lockdown, quarantine, and other mistakes made during the pandemic. We are isolated at home, unable to go out, unable to go to school. The entire community or even the entire city is under static control. This is force majeure or fate. We must accept it.

Second, look inward and connect with yourself.

We are used to looking outwardly, establishing relationships with others, seeking excitement, and keeping up with trends. We forget that the most important relationship in life is with ourselves. During this enforced solitude, we must connect with ourselves.

The book "Loneliness, Return to Self" explains the relationship between loneliness and people and how to use loneliness to look inward and return to oneself. Talking to your inner self is a restorative therapy for modern people.

Read, think, and write about yourself. These are the ways to connect with your inner self. I recommend books like "Writing to Heal: Using Writing to Get Rid of Anxiety, Procrastination, and Bad Moods" and "The Power of Writing."

You should develop some hobbies. Focus your attention on things you usually find trivial and difficult to do with concentration, such as tidying up the closet and organizing books.

Exercise is also an excellent way to go. For exercise while isolated at home, do yoga, meditation, etc. These exercises are very soothing and help us pay attention to the present moment and the changes in our bodies. They are also a way to connect with ourselves.

Connect with others online.

The internet has no boundaries, so we can control the epidemic from anywhere. We can find like-minded people, join interest forums, and do a lot of work online.

During the pandemic, people have helped others online.

If you are more easily influenced by negative information, you must control your internet usage and isolate yourself from the negative information that affects you.

The uncertainty of the epidemic requires our inner certainty to resist. We must be strong and confident within ourselves to overcome this uncertainty.

The epidemic will pass soon, and we will resume our lives without restrictions.

I am a psychological counselor who is both Buddhist and pessimistic, but I also know how to be positive and motivated when I need to be. The world and I love you.