Our whole lives have changed over the past week. Change brings us anxiety in normal circumstances but when it is not a planned change and not a safe one then everything goes haywire in us. As we settle into our new way of life, it is often a temptation to gravitate towards the negative. We start complaining about the inconvenience of the situation and stressing about the unknowns. This causes emotional stress on our bodies and could cause us to fall into a depression or suffer from anxiety.
One of the ways to help yourself regulate is to see the positives around you. There are little perks that have come with this virus. Some of the ones I’ve noticed are that if you have basic cable the cable companies have extended services to other channels. Data limits have been removed from the internet. Traffic to work is almost non-existent. Or if you are at home then there is the extra long staycation to have fun with. Getting to spend extra time with family and laugh with friends on the phone. When you get more specific it becomes about the great smile your spouse gave you this morning over a toilet paper joke, or the extra snuggle time with your child.
Keeping yourself calm and balanced during this time of crisis is imperative for your health as it will strengthen your immune system. Take a moment each day to stop yourself and think of the good stuff around you. The joy is there, its just hiding behind the panic. By diligently looking for the positives around you and acknowledging them, you will fight back the worry and start to enjoy more aspects of this new situation we’re living in.
Warmly,
Trish Pauls, MA RP Registered Psychotherapist
We’re committed to providing compassionate care to our community through the crisis. If you would like some help, our therapists are here for you.
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