Stay Calm and Get Through COVID 19

I think its obvious that things have been very stressful since this Corona Virus outbreak hit. I cant even recognize my day to day life anymore. I am constantly readjusting to my surroundings, counting my blessings, and taking deep breathes.

These last few weeks have been really stressful, uncertainty, emotional, and has accompanied never before seen life changes. I have spoken to many people about their heightened emotions since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2020 (COVID-19). I’ve taken time to listen and to also reflect on my own emotional response. I feel as if my fight or flight is always on, waiting for the next event or tragedy to happen. I would like to share some basics that I have learned along the way, its one step, one moment, one breath at a time.

Everyone has a definition of what "stress" is and everyone reacts to those events differently. If you find that you have not felt impacted at all by reports of the coronavirus outbreak, that is a perfectly okay response. If you find that you have been more anxious, sad, irritable or angry lately, that is completely normal, too. Our reaction to stressful events is a product of a multitude of factors includes many different factors. Some people who may respond more strongly include individuals who are managing a mental health condition (like anxiety), children, and first responders/healthcare professionals. I have found individuals with anxiety and depressive symptoms have been managing much better than others.

Sometimes responses to a stressful event don’t present as emotions. Instead, you may notice a change in sleep patterns; change in appetite; difficulty concentrating; worsening of a chronic health problem (like GERD or chronic pain); change in behavior (stocking up on essentials or changing your routine); or increased use of alcohol or other drugs. It is really important that during stressful times, you continue to take care of your physical and mental health. That means sticking to your treatment plan including taking medications as prescribed; attending routine appointments; adhering to any special diet you may have. It also means reaching out to your supports—family, friends, doctors, therapists, and support groups. Find your new normal. Here are a few ways that we can support ourselves right now: 1. Limit our intake of media. The news media works on the strategy of repeating stories hourly or more often. Very often news stories will be repeated without any additional information added. Repeated exposure to the same stressful event can exacerbate our stress response. It’s good to stay in the know, but consider limiting your ingestion of news media, especially if you are starting to feel overwhelmed. Take care of our body. Drink lots of water, eat healthy, and continue with our normal exercise routine (as approved by our primary doctor). Good diet, exercise, and sleep are the trifecta for health (that’s why you have to listen to my talk about it over and over and over…) 2. Make time to relax. With the news of any large scale adverse event, there is an inherent sense of urgency. We can get wrapped up the energy of outside actors (newscasters, politicians, fundraisers, etc.). Constant vigilance is not good for our bodies. To counteract it, use your relaxation coping skills like breathing, journaling, or listening to music. We need to talk about it. Connect with others about how we are feeling and what concerns we have. Connect with them about other things, too. There is no reason to stop living our lives right now. 3. Take appropriate precautions to keep yourself healthy. Follow the CDC guidelines prevention: wash your hands regularly, avoid touching your face, and avoid contact with people known to be sick. For more information, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/…/prevention.html… Remain hopeful. If you find that you are having a difficult time coping or that you are feeling overwhelmed, please reach out. We will come up with a strategy together. I am now providing telehealth therapy HIPPA compliant. Information about COVID-19 is being updated frequently, so here are some additional resources to find updated information as needed. Some of these resources have informed the information above: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/coping.html https://store.samhsa.gov/system/files/sma14-4885.pdf Hotlines: SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline Toll-Free: 1-800-985-5990 (English and español) SMS: Text TalkWithUs to 66746 SMS (español): “Hablanos” al 66746 TTY: 1-800-846-8517 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255 Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio 1-888-628-9454 Options For Deaf + Hard of Hearing 1-800-799-4889 Veterans Crisis Line 1-800-273-8255 Stay safe everyone and remember one breath and one moment at a time.