Mental Health in the Time of CoronavirusMental Health in the Time of Coronavirus

The third in an online series in which experts from various disciplines and the Thursday Night Live! team explore how the coronavirus is influencing different aspects of culture. This edition focuses on mental health and asks: what is the impact of isolation on mental well-being? Can we see a positive side to the misery caused by Covid-19? And how to help ourselves and others maintain a positive attitude?

Culture not only includes the arts and nightlife; it also comprises our collective states of mind, our thoughts and opinions. After earlier events on creators, public stages and hospitality during the pandemic, the team behind Thursday Night Live! now embraces a more personal approach. Samantha Coleridge will moderate a panel on mental health in the time of Covid-19, with photographer Khalid Amakran, psychologist Eneida Delgado and coach Odair Inocencio. Together, they will exchange knowledge, experiences and tips.

Many of us know the feeling of the walls closing in when we're stuck at home for too long, but for some of us it's easier to shake off than for others. The consequences of the current coronavirus outbreak are unprecedented in many ways, making it difficult to assess what to feel or think. It may help a little if our feelings are recognised and acknowledged, or if we are able to see how other people verbalise or deal with the situation. What does physical isolation do to the human mind? How does the virus influence our inner restlessness and darkest fears?

In the midst of all the ambiguity and unpredictability, it's not always easy to hold on to a daily structure and keep hope alive. Still, it may be possible to see this situation as something from which we can also learn, or at least to find confirmation that our ideas and ways of dealing with it are not that crazy.

Ultimately, a crisis situation is an excellent opportunity to reflect on the importance of caring for ourselves and the people around us. What tips or tools can help us to continue caring for our spiritual well-being under the current circumstances?