What Day is Today? Does it look like a holiday, or is it Sunday?
What day is it today? Does it look like a holiday, or is it Sunday? Routine for what? Why? And us? And now? It is very easy to get lost in the face of this scenario. So many uncertainties and insecurities can bring up feelings of anguish, sadness, fear, anxiety and so many others, which in times of isolation become even more difficult to handle. It is important to tolerate uneasiness and find healthy strategies to be able to move forward, otherwise we may fall into the temptation to seek quick relief through the consumption of substances that momentarily anesthetize us, doing it seems like everything is lighter. After all, we are driven by the incessant search for pleasure. Recently we had the opportunity to see the live of two professionals who are part of Cefi's nuclei, Dr. Cláudia Munhoz and Dr. Martha Ludwig, addressing the relationship between emotions and addictions. I agree that conscious consumption of alcohol is acceptable, when there is clarity about its function and the short, medium and long term consequences. The danger exists when consumption becomes a habit, with the aim of filling voids, relieving unpleasant emotions and masking suffering. We can perceive and dialogue with our sorrows, disappointments, anger, fear, anxiety, accept them and discover healthy ways to gratify ourselves. In this sense, routine can be a great ally for our mental health, and I say our because I also include myself here. Waking up, having goals for the day, bold is purposeful, the philosophy of A.A (Alcoholics Anonymous) that helps many addicts can help us through this crisis, even for those who are not chemically dependent. To live here and now, to be present without trying to resolve what has already happened and will not return, nor the future that we do not know. But someone may say that it is impossible to contain our thoughts, I agree and I suffer from the same evil, there is nothing to do. We just have to watch them, letting them go without feeling obliged to do something with or for them. Reading a book, watching a series, doing physical exercises , having a chimarrão (without sharing) and putting into practice things that seemed to have no time to be accomplished. I wanted to have a small garden myself, I already had some spices in pots, but now I planted them in the soil, even with a very small patio, peppers, tomatoes and eggplants, and I have spent hours stirring the soil, enjoying the growth of each seedling, each new leaf that sprouts. And you? What will be your strategy for living a life that is worth living?...
April 09, 2020
