Post Pandemic Stress Disorder
According to many experts in the fields of psychology and psychiatry, the destabilization resulting from the coronavirus pandemic may not be as noticeable now as it will be after the pandemic period is over. Undoubtedly, the fact that the surrounding reality is standardized and normalized by many at present contributes to this. In the opinion of many researchers, the scale and degree of trauma experienced by society will only be noticed by many once the pandemic is over. Many also suggest that we will experience post-pandemic stress disorder. While post-pandemic stress disorder is not an official diagnosis, the term describes the trauma that many have experienced throughout the pandemic And after two excruciating years and more than a million deaths in the U.S. alone, it is still unclear when, or if, the pandemic will end. That uncertainty is one of many stressors, along with worries about health, family, work and finances, that have taken a significant toll on mental health.
Da Boneyard is an interactive art installation that speaks to this trauma in a way to offer coping mechanisms for the losses of the pandemic. The suppression or abbreviation of funeral rituals is a traumatic experience because family members are prevented from fulfilling their last homage to the loved one who has suddenly passed away, causing feelings of disbelief and indignation. alternatives and new ways to celebrate passage rituals in emergencies of strong social commotion such as a pandemic are needed to provide support and comfort to family members, friends, and relatives. These rituals help survivors to overcome the critical moment, decreasing the risk of developing complicated grief.
“Psychology has long recognized the emotional value and structuring role of rites and rituals in different societies and cultures. Rites comprise a broader category, including rites of passage or healing, while a ritual is a set of gestures and actions that make up the rites. Human rituals are common to all peoples and are symbolic actions, repetitive, standardized, and highly valued behaviors that help individuals to channel emotions, and share beliefs and transmit value
A lack of rituals when a physical body parts makes it difficult to psychologically acknowledge the loss. Additionally, sudden and unexpected deaths prevents mourners to prepare themselves to deal with the loss, considering that physical death does not accompany social and psychological death, which may lead people to face difficulties when facing their mourning process. When intense, these barriers may favor the so-called complicated grief, characterized by long-lasting disorganization that makes it difficult or impede psychological reorganization and the resumption of life. There may be also exacerbated symptomatic manifestations, such as an expression of intense feelings, somatization, social isolation, depressive episodes, low self-esteem, self-destructive impulse.”(Cardoso, Silva, Santos, Lotério, Accoroni, Santos. The effect of suppressing funeral rituals during the COVID-19 pandemic on bereaved families. 2020 Sep 7.)
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