Six Ways to Reduce Overwhelm During COVID-19 Crisis
If you’re overwhelmed and concerned about the future, you’re not alone.
With so many aspects of daily life drastically changing in the past few weeks, coupled with the fears of maintaining our health and our financial well-being, it’s to be expected that many of us are feeling anxious. There’s still much we don’t know about the new coronavirus; we are charting new territory. All of us.
Given the new developments that each day seems to bring, and considering that most of it is beyond our control, it can be helpful to focus our attention on the things we can control.
At Life Counseling, we’ve been reminding our clients (and each other) that there are things we can do to improve daily outlook and our mental health. We will be posting these tips regularly, for our clients and our community. Life may feel chaotic right now in many ways, but we can center ourselves when we bring our attention to that which we can control today:
Listen to qualified advice. Listen to your health care professionals – over anyone else – as to what actions should be taken. Your local doctor, the CDC, local public health department and safety professionals. This isn’t about politics, it’s about the science of good health for you and your family.
Take care of yourself. Follow the precautions for increased hand-washing, social distancing, and sanitizing. Also continue to eat healthy foods, stay hydrated, and get enough sleep. If you are anxious right now, avoid using drugs and alcohol – these don’t help.
Manage your mental health. Do things to help reduce your anxiety and fear. Engage in activities that help you relax and blow off steam (e.g. jogging, walking, painting, writing, reading). Aerobic exercise is best for releasing stress (i.e. walking, jogging, biking – anything that gets your heart rate up for 15mins or more). If you take medications, be sure to continue taking them as prescribed.
Try relaxation/meditation. Find a quiet place in your home, and just sit in the silence. Clearing your mind isn’t easy. But acknowledging the thoughts that pass through and bringing your focus to your breath – even for just 10-20 minutes a day – can make an enormous difference in how you feel.
Talk with your kids. Explain why we are doing things that aren’t normal. Reassure them that these are measures to keep them and your family safe. Let your kids share their concerns, too, so they can have their fears heard and addressed.
If you are seeing a therapist, maintain your schedule. Most therapists are working to set up and offer telehealth, which means you can talk to them by video instead of going into their physical office.
If you are finding it difficult to sleep, concentrate, or turn off the news, make sure your therapist knows what you’re experiencing. If you don’t have a therapist, it may be time to talk to someone. Most therapists are offering telehealth during this time, including Life Counseling Center.
You don’t have to deal with this uncertainty alone. We can help. Call 208.465.5433 or go online to schedule a free consultation to find out if a member of the Life Counseling Center team can be of help to you.