Maslow’s Theory placed the hierarchical needs of the individual under five distinct categories of physiological, safety, love and belonging, self-esteem and self-actualization. Those needs are probably adequately in tune with a period before the shift in the balance of normalcy. In the era of Covid-19, human activity has been forced albeit temporarily to grind to a halt and as such has thrown up new realities about the individual. The new normal has tested the mental health of everyone from primary school pupils the to the aged.
The new hierarchy of needs presently cancels out self-esteem and self-actualisation. Not that it does not matter, but not with much intensity. Rather, much emphasis is on the first three levels of the pyramid. Interestingly the first three levels of the old pyramid seem to have been turned upside down, with love and belonging at the base of the new pyramid, followed by safety needs and lastly physiological needs. Why? I will try and offer some fundamental explanations.
In the world of Covid-19, the individual’s world generally, has been collapsed or shrunk to a small space, brought about by lockdowns and other forms of restrictions, for the safety of all. The immediate impact is that of loneliness on people, where millions of populations are largely cut off from their families apart from the nuclear ones. The loss of their jobs, businesses which in normal circumstances act as psychological shock absorbers have also gone under for many. A complete sense of loss dawns on many, thus exposing them to the feeling that they are just on their own, without anyone to lean on in the immediate instance.
Where the prospect of loneliness looms strong, there is the unconscious thought that probably the individual is unloved or not cared about. These are real feelings and realities. The feeling of loneliness creates a sense of anxiety, whereby feeling safe and craving for safety becomes a challenge. If the individual is fortunate to be in employment, then that is a step above feeling lonely and anxiety may be suppressed. However, being able to earn a living amid the near collapse of everyday living routines, still reminds one of living in a bubble and alone. On the other hand, the ability of moving up and maintaining a semblance of physiological needs of food, water shelter, clothing, sleep(relaxation) should be considered as a major achievement. What these levels of hierarchical attainment shows clearly, is that weathering the storm of covid-19 is paramount amongst other considerations.
So, with the brief examination of the new hierarchy of needs of the individual in Covid -19 times, proffering solutions for this peculiar time is equally essential. Friendship is one of the antidotes to overcoming loneliness. Prior to Covid-19, we all travel from one point to the other to visit families or friends, but probably one thing that was taken for granted is the element of friendship. How much did we all value, the tiny bits of what make each person within the family or our clusters friends unique and endearing? This is also applicable to the work environment. The aftermath of Covid-19 allows us and provides the opportunity of us cherishing friendships once again and making the best of them. In the West, the concept of the individual and its almost limitless freedoms had held sway against the backdrop of effective governments and governance systems. Covid-19 exposed such invincibility of the state to being in full control.
The individual does not exist in isolation, being part of a sub community and the much larger community. In the world after Covid-19, the individual would see the importance of embracing his or her sub community and enriching it. The work environment is gradually changing to an extension of the individual’s family structure, where issues of mental health is freely discussed through reflective sessions. This is a positive result of the aftermath of Covid-19. Friendship provides the avenue for love which helps in binding people together.
As we gradually move ahead into a post Covid-19 era, the gravity of being alone and left emotionally adrift would not be easily forgotten, rather we should regard ourselves fairly equipped with the basic interpersonal tools, which helped at the height of covid-19, an adherence to the first three levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, with the thread of friendship running through them.
© Copyright, Olugbenga Adebanjo
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