Study explores “Melancovid”: How Corona and Ukraine affect the psyche

Rheingold Institute
Study: How Corona has changed the Germans – and why the Ukraine war is making everything worse

One major crisis was not yet over when the second hit with full force. For two years, Germany groaned under the corona pandemic with high infection rates, lockdowns, contact restrictions and economic and health uncertainties. The pandemic seems to have receded into the background in the public and media consciousness, even if it is not over yet – because with the Ukraine war the next historical event turned the world upside down.

What does that do to us, how have Corona and the Ukraine war changed the Germans? Researchers at the Rheingold Institute in Cologne have dealt with these questions in a study. The result: “Germans suffer from melancovid,” says Stephan Grünewald, founder of the Rheingold Institute, and explains this finding as follows: “Spontaneity is being replaced by constant self-control, and feelings of guilt have become part of everyday life.”

Corona pandemic: The light-heartedness has disappeared – and will remain so for the time being

This is particularly evident when looking at the attitudes towards Corona. Although politicians are deciding to relax more and more, only a little more than 20 percent are willing to take risks like before Corona. On the other hand, two-thirds said they wanted to remain cautious. 27 percent want to be more cautious in dealing with others than before the pandemic. The study also revealed a widespread fear of a divided society, especially in relation to the issues of masks and vaccination.

“People miss the light-heartedness and naturalness with which they used to face life and its temptations or challenges,” says Stephan Grünewald. He and his employees noticed a certain melancholy in many of the respondents: They often felt despondent and discouraged and were mainly concerned with themselves. “The Germans are like the rabbit in front of the snake”, says Grünewald on the basis of the study results fixed.

Ukraine war: Many people feel powerless

This feeling of powerlessness triggered by the pandemic and its effects has been reinforced by the war in Ukraine. Fears of war and doom spread, while everyday life continues (almost) as usual – a contradiction that triggers a certain feeling of unreality in many people. One crisis follows the other, so many are overwhelmed. “The permanence of the crisis is growing into a nightmarish loop. People have the dizzy feeling that the ground is being pulled out from under their feet,” says a statement from the Rheingold Institute.

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According to the study, the Germans deal with the war in very different ways. Some are constantly looking for new information, others deliberately keep the events at a distance, distract themselves and evoke normality. Many also try to show solidarity with Ukraine or their personal environment and to provide help themselves – this “gives people the feeling of escaping the powerlessness, at least in the short term,” says the study.

At the beginning of February, 40 people were examined in group discussions and in-depth interviews in a depth psychological pilot study. In addition, 1000 other people were questioned quantitatively in a representative survey. After the start of the Ukraine war, the researchers interviewed twelve people again using qualitative and depth psychological methods in order to map this topic as well.

Source: Rheingold Institute

This article originally appeared on stern.de