COVID 19 Pandemic: A Call for Psychological Restoration

The emergence of the novel COVID 19 is the impetus behind this effort to understand the concept of Psychological restoration. The pandemic created a new context for the relevance of this concept. Our adaptation to this novel event which have unpredictable outcome can be assisted by re-orientating ourselves with the focus on psychological restoration. Psychological Restoration is a renewal of resources or capabilities diminished in ongoing efforts to meet the adaptive demands. It occurs at different levels of human functioning at intrapersonal (within an individual), interpersonal (within relationship), terrestrial (with earth and nature). This concept is important because of the close proximity between nature based environmental configuration and our brain functioning and mental health as proven by numerous studies. The pandemic lockdown situation can be a trajectory of nature human conflict which has created a collective experience of demoralisation and it also demonstrates the failure of our pre pandemic habits and behaviour to adapt to the new experience. Under this trajectory there is a need for psychological restoration that can be renewed and rediscovered at the level of the brain (neural plasticity) and overall mental health (benefits of natural configuration at the psycho-evolutionary and physiological level and reclaiming our morale). Understanding the restorative nature of our psyche will help us find the beneficiary aspects offered by this prolong sense of stillness and remoteness and it will go a long way in our overall wellbeing.