• Darko Marčinko, Miro Jakovljević, Nenad Jakšić, Sarah Bjedov, and Aleksandra Mindoljević Drakulić.
• Department of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Kišpatićeva 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia, niarveda@gmail.com.
• Psychiat Danub. 2020 Jan 1; 32 (1): 15-21.

AbstractThe coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak was labeled a global pandemic by the WHO in March of 2020. Understanding how crisis influence an individual's reactions to stressful events (and vice versa) is important in order to create meaningful and effective interventions. Our literature search have revealed lack of the papers related to psychodynamic approach to recent crisis. Psychodynamic places a large emphasis on defense mechanisms and unconscious mind, where upsetting feelings, urges, and thoughts that are too painful for us to directly look at are housed. Even though these painful feelings and thoughts are outside of our awareness, they still influence our behavior in many ways. Optimal application of psychodynamic approach offers the frame for acceptance of psychological stress in a more positive way and benefits psychological growth. We believe that including psychodynamic approach in the national public and mental health emergency system will empower Croatia and the world during (and after) COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

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