Top 10 Ways to Cope with COVID
With COVID cases on the rise again, it is important to make sure we have proper coping mechanisms in our toolbox to support our mental health and well being. Whether you have been personally affected or know a family member/friend who has been affected, these tips can be helpful to all. These are uncertain times and it is important that we are supporting our mental and emotional well being.
We are blessed to not have been effected significantly by COVID - but we have taken advantage of these tips regularly. These tips are very useful for managing stress which is crucial for a good gut! As we learn to manage our stress we are supporting a healthy gut lining which reduces the risk of developing food sensitivities. My Dad, a registered psychologist shared these top 10 ways to help during these tough times.
TOP 10 Ways to COPE with COVID
Create structure - and maintain a routine. Go to bed and wake up at the same time and plan regular meals. Make some plans that are similar to your daily schedule prior to COVID.
Focus on what’s in your control – Fear, anxiety and worry are inevitable, and you can’t control them. You can control what you do in the here and now. Connect with your physical body. Try pushing your feet hard into the floor. Slowly press your fingertips together, or stretch your arms, shrug your shoulders or slowly breath in and out.
Ground yourself in the present – Seek to focus on your attention on the activity at hand through grounding: Notice 4 things you can see, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can touch, and 1 body sensation. Focus back on what you are doing and fully attend to that activity.
Move your body daily -Exercise is vital to both physical and mental health. Research has shown that repetitive movement like walking or jumping rope, skating or even knitting can be effective at self-soothing and maintaining self-regulation in moments of distress. Spend time moving either in or out of doors, while maintaining appropriate social distancing. We can cook meals together, build things in the basement or garage, clean and organize, shovel snow, and play with and care for our children. Stress reduction from exercise reduces the build up of stress related hormones. A build up of these hormones create vulnerability to getting into fights with our loved ones, losing our temper & potentially committing violent acts. Data from other countries has indicated a dramatic increase in domestic violence within the last few months.
Stay connected – It is important to spend time with others, our family at home or others via technology. Maintaining connections helps wards off loneliness. Psychological trauma is always about not being seen, noticed or heard, hence the need to be in regular contact with our family, friends, work colleagues & neighbours. Family meals are of the essence. We can also play games together, engage in story telling, making music together, and make virtual connections. It is very easy to numb out with endless watching of TV or with drugs or alcohol rather than enjoy connecting with real people in real ways.
Remember Self-care - Take time to care for yourself. Spend some time alone, study and ponder scripture and engage in meaningful prayer. Exercise. Do things you enjoy. Pace yourself, and lower your expectations, knowing you are likely not functioning at the level that you generally do, and that is normal and OK. Take time most days to dress and shower. Don’t live in your PJs. Engage in deep breathing as much as you need or anytime you feel stress.
Act on your values - Ask yourself what you can do, no matter how small it is, that may improve the situation for those that I live with, or people in my community. Then engage in it fully. Find a long term project to start on that you have been putting off. Learn to play the piano. Organize a room a day. Start writing your life history, or learn about your family history.
Reach out for help support, assistance & advice if you are emotionally overwhelmed or feeling that you might want to hurt yourself or others. Reach out to friends, family, neighbours, clergy, medical &/or mental health professionals, and crisis specialists. Keep taking your medications & attend therapy sessions the best you can. If you or a family member are having difficulty coping, mental health specialists are available to help you through this crisis, including community psychotherapists and other non-profit services that offer services on a sliding fee scale.
Limit social media and excessive screen time and seeking updates on COVID-19. Check for updates once a day or every other day.
Focus on your spirituality - Find the lesson, purpose or meaning in this time.
Revised edition.
Brad Harker, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Agency Manager, Calgary Office
Family Services
Share in the comments which ways have been the most helpful to you!
xo erin
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