Psychological resilience

A young woman wearing a beanie stands next to a public transport stop, looking straight ahead with a determined, intense expression.

Do you recognise how you operate under pressure?

Prepare for a crisis by strengthening your psychological resilience. Think about what your strengths are and where you need some additional support.

Create healthy routines, seek information actively and maintain a sense of community, and you will cope better and adapt more easily in difficult circumstances.

What can you do before a crisis?

  • Maintain routines. Getting enough sleep, sensible eating habits and regular exercise are the keys to physical and mental health. Forming daily routines makes it easier to get by even in disruptions and crises.
  • Be materially prepared. At home, it’s good to have food supplies, water and, if necessary, medications for at least three days. Think about what other supplies might be useful in a crisis. For disruptions, it would be worthwhile to have items such as a spare charger, a headlamp or a torch, spare batteries and a little bit of cash in your desk drawer.
  • Stay in the loop about what’s happening in society. 
  • Learn to accept that sometimes in life you will face difficult situations.
  • Think about how you react to different situations. How do you act under pressure, and what causes a stress reaction in you? By knowing your own reactions, you might be better prepared to manage them during a crisis.
  • Practice some simple stress management techniques, such as breathing exercises.

Practise your preparation and safety skills

There are many organisations and associations that offer activities and training courses that you can use to improve your own and other’s ability to cope with unexpected situations. Here are some examples:

Your sense of community supports your psychological resilience

  • Having people around you can provide you with peer support.
  • For example, the Girls’ and Boys’ Houses offer communal vibes, leisure activities, opportunities for hobbies as well as help and support in difficult situations. They can be found in various regions across Finland. The contact details can be found from the website of the Finnish Settlement Movement (in Finnish).
  • Also, take care of your loved ones and get to know your neighbours, for example, to make it easier to ask for and offer help in case of an emergency.
  • Think about who you could help in an emergency and who might need your help.

What can you do during a crisis?

  1. Stick to your routines.

    Following routines brings you safety in the middle of crises, and at best, it can take your thoughts away from the disruption.

     

    Try to do things you enjoy to pass the time. Of course, this is easier said than done but try doing it with a friend or a loved one, for instance.

  2. Get information from trusted sources.

    During a disruption, getting accurate information is essential. Don’t share information that you aren’t sure is accurate. Always follow the instructions of the authorities.

  3. Accept that your mind may be tested.

    Try to accept your emotions and the fact that in times of crisis, your mental state may be in turmoil. If necessary, don’t hesitate to ask others for help.

     

    Also accept that people can react quite differently in a crisis. Some may seem numb, while others appear to continue living as before. It is not necessarily possible to determine what a person is actually feeling and how they experience the situation based on their external habitus.

  4. Remember the stress management techniques you have learnt.

    Use the stress management techniques you have learnt. For example, simple breathing exercises can be surprisingly helpful.

  5. Be mindful of those who need help.

    If you see someone in need of support, offer to talk to them. Take special care of children and ensure that they feel safe. Stay in touch with your loved ones to check how they’re doing.

A young man stands outdoors by a spray-painted wall, staring ahead with a serious, furrowed-brow expression.

What can you do after a crisis?

  • Talk with your loved ones about the crisis or incident and how it has affected everyone.
  • Don’t hesitate to seek professional help for example through online chatrooms or helplines. Remember that even if you would have only helped others during a crisis, you may also need help and support in dealing with your own emotions.
  • Evaluate what you learnt during a crisis. Think about how you can improve your preparedness and actions in similar situations in the future.
  • Update your home emergency food supply. Check out the 72 hours preparedness recommendation and restock the supplies if necessary.
  • Think about what skills would have been useful to know during the crisis or emergency. Think about what you could practise to be better prepared next time.

Remember that even if you would have only helped others during a crisis, you may also need help and support in dealing with your own emotions.

Take action for safety – download the 112 Suomi mobile app!

Through the app, you will receive public safety alerts and notices directly to your phone. The app also provides instructions on how to prepare for various disruptions. The instructions can also be read in the app when the network connection is down, that is, in offline mode.

Download the free 112 Suomi mobile app