When every normal path in life looks different than it used to, with uncertainty around each corner, the road can look pretty dark. For many of us, we’re on that bleak stretch of road right now, thanks to the current pandemic.
Not one of us is alone on that road. And many of us are feeling the impact and stressors caused by what’s happening. Sleeplessness, fear of getting sick, worry over finances, missed milestones, the inability to plan for the future, worries for the health of those around you, generalized feelings of sadness and fear – these are all common responses.
“Some subtler things are going on, too,” says Niki Vandable, LCSW, Circle of Concern’s Client Services Director and a licensed clinical social worker. “Prolonged exposure to this type of stress causes your brain and body to go into “survival” mode. Your brain is temporarily diverting your energy to staying alive and to adjusting in our constantly changing world. You are also likely grieving the loss of normalcy, and thus flowing in and out of various stages of grief.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, coping with stress in healthy ways will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger. Here are some key tips:
- Start with your own body – deep breaths and regular stretching, along with healthy meals, adequate sleep, exercise and limited alcohol and drug use keep you primed to handle temporary stressors.
- Connect with others every day – video or text chats, a phone call, 2-sided tic tac toe on a glass door or a properly distanced driveway-to-driveway conversation remind us we’re not alone in the darkest times.
- Limit your news and social media intake – a steady diet of bad news keeps fear and anxiety elevated.
- Laugh at something every day – cartoons, family pictures, pet videos or some classic Stooges decrease stress hormones and trigger endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemical.
- Ask for help – if simple coping techniques don’t work, know that you’re not alone and that help is available. Tell someone you trust how you are feeling, call your doctor’s office for a referral, call 1-800-662-HELP (the national Helpline of the government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) for local resources or dial 911 in you feel you are in crisis.
Niki adds, “The best advice I can give is to treat yourself, and those around you, with the same grace and kindness you would show to a loved one who has fallen on hard times. Try to practice patience, openness, support, and understanding. And practice forgiveness if or when things fall short of expectations. We are all going through this “hard time” collectively and trying to make it to the other side the best as we can. Try to take this day-by-day, or even hour-by-hour, and know that it will not last forever. We are all quite literally in this together.”
A generous grant from the Chiron Fund of the St. Louis Community Foundation is helping our clients address mental health challenges during these difficult times. Thank you!
