TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Last week Jakartans were stunned by the sudden announcement from Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan who reinstates the large-scale social restriction or PSBB starting today, September 14. This effectively puts a full-scale physical restriction onto millions of people living in the capital city of Indonesia.

Nonetheless, announcements that restrict people’s basic outdoor activities - importantly to reduce the number of COVID-19 infections - may induce anxiety for those who have started to adapt to the ‘new normal’ protocol that the central government had campaigned several months back.

Psychologist Anastasia Satriyo M.Psi, Psi, on Thursday, September 10, posted on her Instagram about the importance to practice mindfulness upon understanding the reaction of one’s feelings, what they think, and the sensation after hearing the announcement, an act she calls ‘mental health check-in.’

The psychologist shared several ways, or questions to ask one’s self to reduce the anxiety of hearing the PSBB may prolong a situation which may lead people to social solitude in an attempt to effectively suppress infection rates.

Through her inspiring Instagram posts, Anastasia Satriyo assures that what you currently feel, the state of mindset you may be experiencing, and emotions you undergo hearing the PSBB announcement are validated and normal. She called for people to ask themselves about their state of mind upon hearing the news and to rate the intensity of your reaction towards it.

She suggests people to adopt the grounding technique, which one of it is by practicing to take deep breaths

“Breathe in, hold it for a moment.. And exhale. Do that several times until you feel more calm and relaxed,” wrote Anastasia in her social media post.

Read also: Anies Baswedan Compares Health Protocol Compliance Between Offices and Markets

EKA WAHYU PRATAMA