Lockdown has changed everyday life as we know it – most notably, it has taken away our autonomy and freedom.
And this can have a knock-on effect on our sense of self.
Things which have helped to shape who we are – like seeing friends and family, going to work, getting beauty treatments, engaging in hobbies, going to the gym – have been stripped away from us.
It makes sense, then, that the removal of these key elements can make us question who we are and has led to many experiencing a ‘crisis’ of identity.
Dr Paul Marsden – a consumer psychologist at University of the Arts London – explains exactly why this is happening.
He tells Metro.co.uk: ‘A positive sense of identity is driven by three things: having a sense of autonomy, a sense of relatedness and a sense of competence – psychologists call it the ARC of happiness.’
Dr Paul says that the coronavirus lockdown poses a problem for all three of these things.
He adds: ‘Our sense of autonomy – for example experiencing freedom, choice and control – is frustrated by restrictions.
‘Our sense of relatedness – for example experiencing care, connection and affiliation – is frustrated by social distancing.
‘And our sense of competence – for example achievement, mastery and success – is frustrated by a situation we feel incompetent to deal with.’
But what does this crisis of self actually look like?
NLP Master Coach and Hypnosis Trainer Rebecca Lockwood sheds light on this and explains why so many people are finding themselves dealing with it during lockdown.
She says: ‘An identity crisis is when a person begins to feel confused at what they like, what they dislike and they can begin to feel as though they are unsure who they are and what they want from life.
‘They question themselves constantly and feel insecure.’
Rebecca adds that this usually happens when significant emotional events occur – such as a break up, having children or the current lockdown climate.
Dr Rachel M Allan, chartered counselling psychologist, offers another reason why people are experiencing it at the moment.
She explains that our minds are usually distracted with daily activities – but this is something that’s been taken away temporarily, due to coronavirus.
Dr Rachel says: ‘Our minds are kept busy with tasks, responsibilities and plans, all things which create a lot of internal “noise”. When these things are stripped away and that “noise” disappears, we can find ourselves questioning who we are in the “quiet”.’
Rachel also points out that having this realisation can actually – in a reverse way – help us to build on our identities.
She says: ‘If losing something or being separated from something hurts us, that is a sign that it matters to us.
‘While that feels painful, it allows us to recognise the things in our lives that are most meaningful.
‘If we can then choose to act in a way that reflects what matters most to us, our lives will be more meaningful and more satisfying in the long-term.’
MORE: I took my freedom for granted until I had a mental breakdown
MORE: How to look after your posture and back when working from home
