정찬승 원장은 제19회 환태평양정신의학회, 대한신경정신의학회 2021년 춘계 학술대회에서 ‘Paths to healing in the covid-19 era’ 제하로 강연했습니다.

Paths to healing in the covid-19 era
Chan-Seung Chung (Korea)

The 19th International Congress of the Pacific Rim College of Psychiatrists
2021년도 대한신경정신의학회 춘계학술대회

*** Hybrid Congress : Onsite & Online ***
April 8 (Thu) – 10 (Sat), 2021
Venue Swiss Grand Hotel Seoul
Theme Towards effective, safe and equitable mental health care for all

Abstract

Paths to Healing in the COVID-19 Era

Chan-seung Chung

Department of Psychiatry, Maum Dream Clinic, Korea, Republic of

From the prehistoric age to the present, fear of infectious diseases has created numerous traditions including taboos which can be considered as a sort of primitive infectious disease guidelines. They contain the collective unconscious humans have been projecting on what they’ve been afraid of over a vast period.

A group may project the fear of infectious diseases on specific individuals, other groups, or situations and vent resentment, rage, and hatred upon them. The reckless venting of negative emotions such as bitterness and rage not only completely ruins the scapegoats, but also sickens the attackers who are caught by collective suggestion and agitated as a result.
“Infodemic” is a portmanteau of “information” and “epidemic,” a term coined to express a situation where an infectious disease is running rampant and people are flooded with all kinds of information, which makes it difficult to find credible information and guidelines. When disasters occur, people find information and obsess over it to reduce their anxieties. Only by looking directly at the substance and not being swept away by exaggerated fear can we solve the problem.

The most important advice to take heed during the middle of an infectious disease running wild is “to accept the changes,” meaning we shouldn’t deny many changes brought by the pandemic, but embrace them. Only then we can move away from an obsession with the world before the pandemic, come up with new responses and adaptations based on the changes, and let the suppressed anima earn freedom.

The external responses of developing cures and vaccines for infectious diseases are insufficient to overcome the psychological crisis we are currently experiencing. Analytical psychology studies the depth of one’s mind in times of actual crises and offers the most important and profound path to healing that enables both external and internal responses.