Making sense of the pandemic - some thoughts from Ben

Date: Thursday 17 December 2020

---

This has been a very unsettling year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has played havoc with everyone’s lives. That’s why Ben wanted to take a look at how the pandemic has affected people's physical and mental health & wellbeing and explain a bit about why it has affected everyone so much.

One way of looking at this is through the model of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (which are our basic human needs in life). There are five different levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, as follows:

The above diagram shows that it’s very hard for us to achieve the higher levels of needs (at the top of the pyramid) without the lower needs being met (at the bottom of the pyramid).

Sadly, for many people, the most basic needs (such as being able to afford food or having a safe and secure roof over our heads) have not been met this year – or have been a bigger challenge. Sleeping is also a basic human need, yet many have suffered with sleep issues during the pandemic because they are more fearful and anxious about the future, which is uncertain.

Another way to look at the impact is by using the fight, flight, freeze or fawn model. This is the way we respond to a threat, (physical or psychological). We can experience physical reactions like increased adrenaline which then impacts our breathing and heart rate, making it harder to relax or sleep.

It’s no wonder that many are feeling the effects of this pandemic on their health & wellbeing. To find out more about how the pandemic has affected us, watch the Ben video by CLICKING HERE.

If this has left you feeling that you need Ben’s support, then get in touch today – Ben are there. You can chat online or call the free helpline on 08081 311 333.

---