Taking Care of Yourself During COVID-19
Our lives have undergone some big changes in the last few weeks. Rather than going into our place of work or school or socializing with friends, we’re settling into what could be a while of distancing ourselves from others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our routines and lifestyles are going to look different. It’s helpful to consider how we continue to meet our needs and take care of ourselves amidst these big lifestyle changes.
You’re going to feel anxious--and that’s okay.
You’re probably feeling all kinds of different emotions right now; loss, worry, frustration, confusion, or loneliness to name a few. Validate your feelings first and foremost because your feelings matter! And I can guarantee you, you aren’t the only one. Collectively, our community is feeling a whirlwind of emotions.
You might find yourself in trauma brain.
Your limbic system (that alarm clock in our brain telling us we’re not safe) is probably kicking in more than usual, sending adrenaline and cortisol out into the body and probably leaving you feeling anxious or panicked. Now is the time for some self-soothing activities, fun experiences, or anything that is going to release some good brain chemicals and neurotransmitters (dopamine and GABA to name a few!). Turn on a funny show, Face time with a friend and laugh, engage in movement, connect with your counselor, or try some of the self-soothing strategies I talked about on my previous blog post.
Continue being mindful of your needs.
If you’re feeling panic and fear, is it helpful to surf news articles for hours on hours? Probably not. Maybe you’re needing to reach out to your support system, cuddle your dog, or take a few deep breaths. Notice what is helpful and what is hurtful to your emotional health and create boundaries with yourself. Perhaps you give yourself 10 minutes to surf through the news before you move on, or create time limits around social media usage if it’s hurting your emotional health.
Stay connected to your community and stay connected to YOU.
You might be feeling alone amidst all the restrictions in place. On the flipside, maybe you’re struggling to find alone time in the house with partners, kids, pets, etc. Think about when you’re needing more connection with others and schedule facetime with friends or coworkers. Notice when you might need to shut the door and have 15 minutes to yourself if you’re feeling suffocated by family. Honor your needs!
Take the pressure off of yourself to do something profound.
If you’re feeling up to writing a novel or learning a new language, more power to you! If you’re using this time at home to just be, that’s cool too. Take the extra pressure off of yourself to be super productive. It’s okay to slow down.
Use the coping skills that worked for you in the past.
You might need to modify your skills to make them quarantine appropriate, but there’s a good chance that what worked for you in the past will work for you again. Get creative! With all the new digital offerings, you might be able to find a meditation, class, community building zoom call, concert, spiritual offering etc. right at your fingertips.
I encourage you to connect with a therapist if you’re needing extra support. We have also listed online support groups and resources on our instagram, @dallashealinghouse.
Authored by: Anna Zapata, LPC