Top 3 Ways to Cope During Covid-19

Life, or what we previously saw as “normal life” seemed to change overnight in March 2020.  Cities and Counties were ordered to follow stay-at-home guidelines and quite quickly, we became familiar with a unit of measurement called, “remaining 6-feet apart” as a way to socially distance ourselves from one another.  Schools closed all around us, leaving many parents scrambling to figure out how to become teachers to their children overnight.  Businesses and restaurants all began closing their doors.  Working from home became a luxury as it meant you could be preserved from the ever-growing unemployment claim numbers.  What all seemed to be so normal just weeks before now suddenly became abnormal and challenging to endure.  When I spoke with some of my colleagues, we all agreed that our patients were experiencing a higher level of stress and overwhelm due to Covid-19, and it is just the beginning.  

Over the last two months as we have gained more information about the virus, read more accounts about those who have been affected by the virus, and have been struggling to adjust to this “new normal” we are living in, the common thread I have seen amongst my patients is: How do I cope during this time?  Whether it means how to manage their relationships during this time of isolation, or how to manage the stress of being an essential worker and conducting family duties at home, the resounding challenge among my patients was how were they going to best manage the stress related to the newfound changes erupting in their lives?  Below explains my answer to this question by giving you my top 3 ways to cope during this Coronavirus pandemic.    

Recognize that it is okay to not be okay right now.

As we are all living through a pandemic together, everything has changed in such a short amount of time.  It is unrealistic to expect ordinary and routine activities to feel the same as it once did before Covid-19 hit.  If you are feeling unsettled inside or are experiencing a higher level of stress, anxiety, irritability, or depression than usual, please know that it is okay.  One example is shown in how an ordinary activity such as going to the grocery store now no longer looks or feels “normal.”  Instead, we now have to wait in lines to get into stores, wear masks, and be very mindful of keeping our distance away from other shoppers, all of which increases our level of stress.  As this is just one example among many, the way we now have to behave and carry out our normal activities has dramatically changed from simply a couple months ago.  All of these changes and shifts in our lives add an incredible amount of stress and affects our mood.

Set small goals or tasks in your daily or weekly schedule.

Our minds and bodies are craving some sort of normalcy in an abnormal time period.  Perhaps you can find an activity you are familiar with or previously interested in that could spark a new goal.  Some individuals may even have the capacity to pick up a new skill or hobby right now, but if that isn’t you, there is no need to fear.  My sincere recommendation is to find a schedule, task, or pastime that you have enjoyed or responded well to before, and try to adapt it into your life at an abbreviated level.  For example, some ideas may include establishing an exercise routine, or making masks, or cooking, or baking, or reading, to name a few.  By setting a small goal or task in your schedule, it will help you to come back to your body and facilitate a sense of control you have in your own life, when everything around may feel out of control.

Connect or reconnect with family, friends, or neighbors.  

It is difficult to abide by the orders to socially distance and stay-at-home for an extended amount of time and not be in community with our loved ones and friends.  I do not believe we were built to function this way, and instead we were meant to be physically in relationship with one another.  However, from an epidemiological perspective, self-isolation and social distancing is imperative to combat the spread of the virus, which essentially counteracts what we crave and need from a humankind perspective.  It is near impossible to operate in isolation for an extended amount of time.  Solitary confinement is used as a form of punishment for a reason!  In light of this conflict, I suggest you try to connect or reconnect with family, friends, or neighbors, over the phone, snail mail, email, or video conferencing, as a medium for connection.  Not being able to be together physically in relationship or community is the hardest part of social distancing, but we can still strive to find connection with others during this time even if it looks different than how we are accustomed to.  

In conclusion, try one or all of these tips and see if it makes any changes to how well you are adjusting to this abnormal and difficult time period.  If you find that you may want some additional support, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.  Most of all, be gentle on yourself, and know that you are not alone in what you are feeling.