Support The Moscow Times!

To Survive Coronavirus Lockdown, Russia Recommends Staying Angry at Family for Less Than 10 Minutes

“It’s permissible to be angry at other family members, but not for more than 3-10 minutes,” Russia's Health Ministry says. Mikhail Tereshchenko / TASS

If you’ve been self-isolating with your relatives since coronavirus lockdown measures went into effect, it’s likely that you’ve gotten fed up with their company at least once.

Luckily, Russia’s Health Ministry has a solution to your woes: Simply make sure you stay angry at them for no more than 10 minutes.

The recommendations appear in an aptly named advisory, "How to Survive Self-Isolation and Not Go Crazy," which was recently published on the Health Ministry’s website.

“It’s permissible to be angry at other family members, but not for more than 3-10 minutes,” the guide says. After that, you should forgive the other person, it says.

“You should calm down and ask yourself: Were you right or not? If you were wrong about something, apologize.”

According to the recommendations, compiled by the Health Ministry's chief psychiatrist Zurab Kekelidze, families should openly communicate and create a shared routine based on the interests of each family member.

Following these guidelines can ensure “a general positive attitude within the household” as well as the “personal space of each family member,” the Health Ministry's advisory says.

The advisory comes as Russian lawmakers and activists warn that coronavirus lockdown measures have sparked a surge in domestic violence across the country. The authors of Russia’s delayed domestic abuse law last month asked the government to take emergency steps to protect victims during quarantine. 

Last week, a Russian Orthodox Church official took a different approach to maintaining a peaceful household, instead urging women not to reprimand their husbands during the lockdown in order to avoid domestic conflict.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more