Coping During COVID-19
In the midst of the global pandemic that is COVID-19, millions of Americans are now facing the unique set of challenges presented by social distancing. While this effort to “flatten the curve” is for the public good, navigating this new normal can be difficult. From dealing with childcare issues, job changes (and/or losses), decreased contact with loved ones, people are attempting to find ways to cope in healthy ways. Below are some things to keep in mind while navigating through this time.
1.) Be gentle with yourself. We are currently attempting to navigate through something unprecedented (at least in our lifetimes) with no blueprint. Just as you would feel travelling to a new place with no roadmap or set of directions, figuring out the “right thing to do” or the “right way to go” during this time is scary and confusing. It’s normal to feel anxious about the future and grieve the things that may be missing from your life right now or the events/times you were looking forward to. Allow yourself to feel sad, anxious, and frustrated. Eventually, this will pass, but for right now, taking each day as it comes may be all you can do. And that’s okay. It’s okay if you’re not an amazing homeschool teacher to your kids. It’s okay if you don’t get to that chore list. It’s okay if you aren’t optimistic all the time right now. Remember, you’re doing your best during a very difficult time. Cut yourself some slack.
2.) Minimize news. While it’s important to stay generally informed of the current state of the virus and knowledgeable of the latest “shelter in place” guidelines in place for your state, hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting. The statistics show that most individuals who come into contact with this virus will recover; however, it’s difficult to keep those stats in mind after reading news stories about complications arising in otherwise healthy individuals. In psychology, this phenomenon, called the availability heuristic, causes us to estimate the frequency of specific events at a much higher rate than what is statistically happening. It’s the same phenomenon that causes us to be more fearful of flying after we see video footage of a plane crash; although the probability of dying in a plane crash is extremely small, it’s hard to convince our brains of this when we’ve just seen scary images. Taking breaks from the news and social media helps distance yourself, even a little, from what’s going on and can help you avoid getting overwhelmed. Keep informed of the facts but try to limit viewing the news to a certain time of the day and only read/watch sources you trust.
3.) Focus on what you can control. So much of what is happening right now in our world is out of our control. None of us expected for our lives to change this drastically. We can’t control what’s happening in the world around us or the behaviors of other people. However, we can focus on keeping ourselves and our families safe by practicing social distancing, eliminating all non-essential trips, and staying on top of handwashing and personal hygiene strategies. We can control the amount of sleep we get and make sure we’re well-rested. We can control how we treat our bodies. Note, this doesn’t mean pressuring yourself to get into tip-top shape, or not eating ice cream or binging your favorite shows. It does, however, mean being thoughtful and intentional about how you’re treating yourself and your body. We can choose to pick up a new hobby or re-engage in a long-lost one. We can choose to maintain some of our old routines (i.e., morning coffee) or create new ones. In this time of uncertainty, we can control how we choose to react to the situation we find ourselves in.
4.) Stay connected to social supports. During this pandemic, people have been forced to change their day-to-day lives in ways they likely didn’t see coming. Due to physical distancing guidelines, people are having to forgo meeting up in person for get-togethers with friends, family, and coworkers. But despite these uncertain and stressful times, connecting with other people remains incredibly important. Technology today makes it easier than ever to stay connected with our loved ones, even if we can’t physically be together. Apps like Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, and Facetime can help us maintain our social connections and help us feel less isolated. Individuals within households are also spending time together in significantly different ways. Activities such as playing board gams or completing indoor projects together can help foster a sense connectedness. Additionally, setting aside a particular time each day to do an activity together, or just talk to one another, may create opportunities for deeper connection, laughter, and joy even in isolation. Creating physical, not social, distance during this time is imperative. By naming the national strategy as physical distancing, rather than social distancing, and emphasizing the need for human connection, we can maximize our physical safety and foster our own mental health through social connection.
Written by Ashley Waters, PhD