We’re seeing
it on the news, in the media, on the streets and for some, even in our very own
families. The outbreak of the Coronavirus is affecting our routines,
lifestyles, families and relationships, jobs, education, celebrations, and
overall, our everyday lives. As the number of cases begins to rise, along with
the increasing number of businesses beginning to close; anxiety, fear, and
overwhelm begin to strike.
It’s
understandable that with the extent to which lives begin to become affected,
that mental health and wellbeing would be impacted. There’s a lot going on to
process and figure out how to cope with. There are so many factors at play that
it’s likely many of us don’t know where to begin. For some, just as they begin
to process one piece of information, another piece becomes thrown at them before
they can even begin. How do we cope with the fear and anxiety-provoking news and
how can we maintain a sense of normalcy in such a time of ab-normalcy? Read on
to find out.
To fully
understand the capacity of this enormous pandemic, lets first break it down a
little bit.
How
does COVID-19 and the pandemic affect mental health?
Virus
& Germs: Starting
from the very beginning, the very thought of just a virus going around,
especially to the capacity that the Coronavirus is, is enough to strike panic
in people. Nobody wants to get sick or get other people sick so that alone can
put people on edge. This is a particular for challenge who may have a phobia of
germs or already have pre-existing anxiety, OCD, depression, or mental health
concern to begin with. When you add this to the mix, it’s almost as if the
feelings that already come with anxiety, OCD, etc. are being confirmed; telling
people who are already fearful; sending a message of “see, I told you this would
this happen” or “you should have done more”, “you should have washed your hands more
and maybe this wouldn’t have happened”. While none of these are true, these are
the kinds of feelings that individuals with pre-existing anxiety disorders or
mental health concerns deal with on a daily basis and most likely even more so
with this going on. With that being said, that is the first way that COVID-19
is striking such panic.
Routine/Life
Affected: In
addition to that anxiety and panic that’s already there with the virus alone,
we then have this pandemic affecting a wide variety of aspects of our lives; jobs,
everyday functions and so on. Almost every day we’re told something different
that shifts our lives in some way. When our lives are shifted in some way, or when
there is a major change or curveball thrown at us; our radar goes up. We don’t
like when our world is changed especially in a negative and life-threatening
way. We are accustomed to our routines. So when our routine is changed even a
little bit yet alone, to the large scale that it is with this pandemic,
anxiety, fear, panic, and confusion strike. An alarm goes off in us saying that
this isn’t right, this isn’t how it’s supposed to be and it can throw us into a
whirlwind of emotions. Some people are out of jobs, getting ready to graduate,
having to figure out how to homeschool their kids or learn/teach in a virtual
way, not being able to go to certain places etc. and figuring out how to
navigate these things is a great challenge.
Isolation: Just when we think all of the above
is enough, add into the mix isolation, quarantine, separation and being closed
off of comforting emotional support. In a time where social connection and
emotional support is critical, so many are left feeling alone. Many are forced alone
in quarantine especially If they themselves are sick or even just been exposed
to someone who is. So in addition to these high-strung emotions that are already
in full swing, people are told that they can’t offer or receive a level of
support that is truly needed to their loved ones during this critical time. Parents
are separated from their own kids. This is something even I have dealt with.
Seeing my mom who has been sick for over 2 weeks and not being able to hug her
and offer that emotional support during this time, has been life-changing. We
were forced to stay 6 ft away from each other until we got the results. This is
a struggle for many others. Healthcare workers potentially exposed afraid of
infecting their own kids and loved ones at home. People are even led to be
fearful of just to go outside to get fresh air and exercise just to get a break
from the chaos.
So, how do
we hope and what can we do:
Be physically distant, but NOT socially distant! Ever since I’ve heard the term “social
distancing”, I felt inclined to preach this. While we may be forced in many cases
to physically distance ourselves from others, this does NOT mean we have
to socially distance. In fact, as mentioned above, it’s important now
more than ever, to stay connected with friends and loved ones. Text, call,
video chat, social media; whatever you can do to not become entirely socially
isolated because we need that social interaction and communication
right now in whatever way we can get it. While a lot of people are concerned
about screen time and overuse of technology, it’s OK to put a limit on it but if
you can, don’t become fully isolated from it.
Practice Compassion: In a time of such frustration and chaos,
many are on edge. Those on the front lines are overworked. It’s understandable
this is a time of panic, everyone is trying to stock up on what they need at
the food stores etc. it can be easy to feel like we’re going to explode at times
but please, please, please, do everything you can to practice compassion.
Appreciate those who are on the front lines. If you go to grab the last roll of
toilet paper on the shelf and you already have plenty but the elderly person
next to you has none, offer it to them. Practice random acts of kindness to any
capacity. We know the smallest act can make the biggest difference and that
could not be more true during this time. Per the Compassionately Inspired mission,
“In times of physical distance, compassion heals
~Compassionately Inspired”.
Stick to as much routine as possible even at home. It may take time to figure out how
exactly to do this as we adjust to working or going to school from home or
keeping kids occupied who are out of school. However, develop a schedule that
works for you. Some things that can help are creating a time table of when to
do what etc. Add in work hours, time for fun activities for the kids, etc. Additionally,
if you’re working or doing school from home or even schooling your kids from
home, create an office space to work free of clutter to minimize distraction. Find
what works for you. We’re all different and operate in different ways. However,
one of the keys to maintaining a sense of normalcy is trying to stick to a certain
schedule or routine as much as possible.
· Stay Occupied. Do things that can keep you busy to stay distracted from all
of the thoughts running through your mind. Cleaning the house, cooking/baking,
going through old clothes, playing games with the kids etc. Staying distracted
can serve as a way to cope with the cascade of thoughts running through our
minds.
· Practice Self-Care. Self-care is different for every single person. For
some people, self-care is washing our hair, taking hot baths, meditating, yoga,
exercise, etc. For others, it’s watching Netflix, listening to music, writing, cooking,
hobbies, etc. Whatever self-care is for you, add it to your schedule and
routine even if it’s just 5 minutes every day. This is also imperative during
this rough time for our minds and overall wellbeing.
· Talk About It. If all of this is just way too much that you don’t even know
where to begin and it feels like you’re on the verge of explosion, talk about
it. Whether it’s calling, texting, or video chatting to someone about it or
just writing about it in a journal for yourself. Bottling up feelings can only
lead to more tension and overwhelm. Let it out. If you aren’t sure where to
turn or who to talk to, text “SHARE” TO 741741 to be connected to a live Crisis
Counselor at Crisis Text Line or if you prefer to talk call, 1-800-273-8255 to
be connected to a Crisis Counselor at the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.
Apps like BetterHelp, 7Cups, Talkspace are all other great resources if you’re
looking for remote therapy. Many therapists, counselors, and counseling centers
are also offering Telehealth options as well. You are not alone. Don’t be
afraid to utilize resources if you need them!
· Do what you can, and focus on what you CAN control. There is so much right now that is
completely out of our control and as incredibly frustrating as this can be,
there are many things you can control. Do what you can in terms of hand-washing
and disinfecting and taking the cautions that you personally have control over.
That’s all you can personally do.
All in all,
thank you so much to the people who have taken the time to read this entire
article. If you are on Facebook, please join me in my mission to reach as many
people as possible by sharing this blog post and liking my page, Compassionately
Inspired at facebook.com/fromcomapssiontoaction/ . If you have any questions,
comments, concerns or just need to chat; don’t hesitate to reach out via
messenger, or email at compassionatelyinspired@gmail.com
. If you are a school or organization, I’m also happy to speak virtually about
the things I’ve mentioned above. Alone we can do so little, together we can do
so much. We are all in this together.
~Compassionately
Inspired
F: facebook.com/fromcompassiontoaction
#COVID19 #TheNovelCoronavirus #CompassionHealsDistance
