Stay Grounded
Pandemics are naturally anxiety-producing. This is something
that is going to affect millions of people, and there is no clear message about
the future and when things will get back to normal. However, there are some
things to consider when thinking the worst and feeling overwhelmed by the
circumstances.
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Unplug from the
24/7 COVID-19 reporting. In order to stay grounded, it’s important to limit exposure to
the constant news cycle that discusses this and only this. Be sure to stay on
the lookout for important announcements, but check in with the news once a day
rather than have it on constantly. This also includes searching for
COVID-related stories, reading articles online, and getting caught up in social
media.
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While it feels
like there is a lot out of our control, we do have control over our actions and
how we view things. Choose to focus on what
you CAN control. There is a lot of change and also uncertainty occurring
right now, which is notoriously scary for us. There are likely a number of
worried thoughts running through our minds about having to stay home, not
having enough resources, getting sick, and things closing. Remember:
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You greatly minimize your chance of getting sick if you keep
physical distance from others, clean surfaces, and wash your hands thoroughly.
o
You have likely gone to the store or ordered things online in
preparation, so you are able to use your items wisely and have everything you
truly need for the next week or so.
o
While businesses and leisure activities are shut down, essential
places, like grocery stores, hospitals, and pharmacies are open and provide
necessary resources – you will be able to access them.
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Psychologists
know how anxiety-producing this time can be, so some have produced podcasts
about ways to manage stress and anxiety during this time. Yale
psychologist, Dr. Laurie Santos has a podcast, “The Happiness Lab,” where she
has two COVID-19 specific podcasts about things we can do to decrease stress
and anxiety. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/id1474245040?fbclid=IwAR3qG8CC6H8CLLJrsHr4wgA8fYQGkLzR0IwmzEr_0HReDc1zXuYMzLBjGR0
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Seek out
professional resources, such as therapy for additional support. A lot of
therapists are transitioning to telehealth services. If you
have insurance, most likely, there is an in-network provider currently
accepting new clients via telehealth (phone or video chat sessions). For those
without insurance, there are also resources that are sliding scale, ranging
from $20-$60 per session.
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Open Path https://openpathcollective.org/client/
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Clear water Counseling http://clearwatercounselingchicago.com/
o
Better Help https://www.betterhelp.com/
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