Perspective Chapter: Decompression as a Safety Valve during Pandemic

Abstract

Under circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic, decompression is essential to slowly overcome the lockdown stressors as a transition period between lockdown and resuming work in a manner that is no longer going to be ‘business as usual’. Firstly, we examine what is decompression in the context of reducing overwhelming and unwanted pressure emanating from the pandemic. Secondly, we reiterate the objectives and goals of decompression. Thirdly, we list ways in which one can decompress as a suitable way of endowing us with better psychological and much needed emotional support in pandemic times. Finally, the chapter offers guidelines for future research as this aspect has not been researched much and opens up new avenues in the field of psychosocial research in civilian as well as military contexts which brings the need for psychological debriefing to the forefront. The results of psychological disaster research to foresee, reduce and soothe the psychological effects of mass disasters – in this case, the global COVID-19 pandemic, maybe reconstructive.