Parkzeit 2021-2 (EN)

CRISIS LOSERS
Four, seven and ten are the challenging ages of
her beloved children. And her? She’s married,
full of life, and wholly engaged in professional
life. She refers to herself as both lucky and
successful – in the prime of her life so to speak.
This strong woman knows only of financial worries
or existential fears from stories. She enjoys her
freedom of choice when it comes to travel and
holidays and knows that her future is carefree.
But then the corona pandemic hits and her life as
she knew it was turned upside down as things
took a complete 180. What this would truly mean
and with what force it would throw her off her
usual track, she had no idea at that time. The ease
with which she lived and mastered her life until
now was suddenly gone.
It was replaced instead with school closures,
distance learning, curfews and restrictions as well
as feelings of confinement or being locked up
for many months. It was all suddenly too much,
she affirms. In addition to her professional life,
she has to function as a housewife, cook, teacher,
cleaning lady and mum. Every day, seven days a
week. Suddenly, she was unable to manage or to
even get space.
She was left alone with her tasks, she says, as her
husband was of no help. Without distance and
her usual freedoms, she fell into a state of constant
stress. And before long, sleeping disorders, violent
migraine attacks, exhaustion, anxiety disorders
and panic attacks followed. These are typical
reactions to severe stress and adjustment
disorders. Anxiety and depressive disorders were
diagnosed later. Accepting help never came easy
for her. She’s the type of person who loves to help
others, but too often forgets about herself in the
process. Because she couldn't get going on her
own and the pressure of suffering was too high,
she sought psychological help. Fortunately, such
help was available. And she accepted it. “I'm a crisis
loser,” she says, “but I am fighting my way out of it.
It will make me more resilient and bring back my
quality of life.”
close communication, distance for unfamiliarity.
Everyone knows this instinctively. Just imagine the
following greeting situations: a particularly intimate
hug from your best friend whom you haven't seen
for a long time or a handshake to greet a new
business contact. Such gestures make all the
difference."
WHY DO WE LIKE HUGGING SO MUCH?
"Closeness is a part of our lives from birth. I'll
even go so far as to say proximity is vital to our
survival. Ideally, when we are held, we feel safety,
affection, perhaps love, comfort or trust.
Everything we like to feel," says Thomas Blasbichler.
Are we going to forgo hugging? "Never!"
“Closeness is
part of our lives
from birth”
Breathing
From the moment we first cry
when we are born to the often quoted
very "last breath": Breathing
is something we do throughout
our whole lives.
Thomas Blasbichler (MA)
Clinical and health psychologist, sports psychologist,
specialist in prevention, coach
10
GIVE ME A HUG!
BREATHING 11