Society’s Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic – What Have We Already Known. The Role of Mental Resilience in the Process of Adaptation to the Epidemiological Condition

<ns3:p>The COVID-19 pandemic provided unique challenges to global societies. Consequently, numerous studies were conducted in order to explore its impact on mental health. Among first areas of the research interest focused on the consequences of the lockdown restrictions, particularly in the context of anxiety, insomnia, and feeling of loneliness in elderly people. Subsequently, when the disease had been spreading rapidly and the information on the current situation provided by the media was constantly available, the research concentrated on the impact of these factors on mental health of adults, children and the medical staff. The role of mental resilience – the ability to adapt and module impulses, were the research aspects either. This paper analyzes the impact of mental resilience on the process of adaptation to pandemic conditions. Mental resilience is defined as the “ego resilience”, which the element of personality and which influences the ability to cope with life changes. Research involved various social groups during the pandemic period and it was revealed that people with higher mental resilience were coping with their crisis-related emotions more effectively. The correlation between the results on mental resilience scale and the decreased intensity of anxiety symptoms; bigger life satisfaction and searching for the support more actively, highlighted the significance of mental resilience. It is worth emphasizing that not only mental resilience but also the social support appeared to be crucial in the context of alleviating the reactions towards pandemic. Presented research results emphasize the role of individual adaptation abilities in coping with the stress connected with the pandemic. Our paper indicates the need for further studies on mental resilience, as the important factor influencing mental health in the face of global crises such is the COVID-19 pandemic.</ns3:p>