Emotional Claustrophobia: The feeling of being stuck
While I’m not claustrophobic, I hate the feeling of being stuck. I can totally understand the idea that small enclosed spaces freak people out and in some cases, something as innocuous as a building elevator can be enough to create overwhelming anxiety.
Right now, a big chunk of the country is in lock-down which after six weeks of restricted movement and plenty of screen time has triggered what I can only describe as emotional claustrophobia. That is, anxiety and depression brought on by forced restriction of movement and social interaction.
Unfortunately, the response to lock-down has lead to a minority acting out through demonstrations of rage, antisocial behaviour, opposition and blame - all of which are understandable.
For everyone feeling hard done by, cheated, robbed, restricted, shut-down, humiliated, disappointed, frustrated and any other ‘…ed’ you can think of, I’d like to suggest you add “Man’s search for meaning” by Viktor E. Frankl to your reading list. As a survivor of a prisoner of war camp and a world-renowned psychiatrist, Viktor beautifully illustrates how you can have everything taken away from you and still draw on the wisdom that enables you to choose your experience.
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
― Viktor E. Frankl
Having the time to reflect on my own experiences from past and present, I’m becoming more clear on what it means to ‘choose one’s own way’. Indeed, the situation the world is in right now is real, it’s scary, it’s uncertain and there is no immediate solution to the problem we all face. However, I’m drawing strength from great leaders such as Frankl that were able to choose their mindset, regardless of the hardship they faced.
If you’re feeling stuck and also feel like you’re suffering from a bit of Emotional claustrophobia it’s time to dig deep and resurrect the choices available to you. It is in these choices that you will discover your freedom.
One final quote from Frankl for you to ponder.
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
― Viktor E. Frankl
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I’m fascinated with people, always have been and always will be. From a very early age, I keenly observed people, I was curious about what motivated them, what made them successful and why they made certain choices. This curiosity led me to study Psychology. After graduating with my Master of Organisational Psychology, I worked for Gallup, a global leader in engagement and strengths-based development. I became a strengths-based coach, engagement expert and worked with senior leaders all over the world.
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