I’m a therapist, so I should be immune to situations that cause anxiety right? Wrong! The night President Trump announced that our country was facing a pandemic and urged people to shelter-in-place was a sleepless night for me. Many worries crossed my mind that evening, such as worries about the impact of COVID-19 on loved ones and how we were going to manage homeschooling our six year old while teleworking full-time kept me up most of the night.
The consequences of COVID-19 and shelter-in-place mandates are far-reaching, including negatively impacting our mental health and relationships.
Negative Impact of Covid-19
The following are just a few of the negative consequences of COVID-19:
Anxiety – many people respond to a threat with increased anxiety (or worry or concern about the threat), which can lead to a hyper focus on threat, sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, headaches, and irritability.
Loneliness – forced isolation and an inability to connect with or interact with extended family or friends can lead to feelings of loneliness.
Depression – lack of balance in your routine, sleep difficulties due to anxiety, and a lack of positive interactions with others can contribute to depression.
Couples conflict – worry or concern about finances, differences in parenting practices, or annoying habits, such as how someone chews his or her food, can fuel arguments between you and your spouse.
Parenting difficulties – young children can often sense that something is wrong or pick up on your anxiety by subtle changes in behavior and manifest their own anxiety through misbehavior. Many people, young and old, struggle with changes in routine and the changes forced on families due to school closure or social distancing can be significant sources of conflict between you and your children.
Ways we can maintain our sanity in the face of a pandemic:
Balance – establish a routine in your new normal. Get up and go to bed at the same time every day. Shower, get dressed, and accomplish your daily tasks (preparing meals, helping your children with school work, and/or complete those pesky chores you’ve been putting off for months because you’ve been too busy).
Exercise – research indicates that you can improve your mood by exercising at least 10 minutes a day, a natural mood stabilizer without the harmful side effects of medication. Fortunately, we can exercise inside or outside and maintain social distancing guidelines.
Unplug – social media and news outlets focus on the extreme and the negative to attract your attention and get you to click on their link. Spending excessive amounts of time consuming this information can contribute to depression, anxiety, and irritability. Try limiting your time on social media to reviewing one trustworthy news source a day or for no more than 30 minutes a day.
Find distance – spend time away from your spouse and children by encouraging indoor or outdoor play while you read a good book or tinkering in the garage while you take a hot bath.
Cope well – some turn to drinking, using substances, overeating, or overspending to manage anxiety. Unfortunately, these unhelpful habits can contribute to a host of problems, including increased anxiety and conflict, so it’s best to replace them with the healthy habits listed above.
Reach out to family and friends – use technology to connect with your friends and family. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and FaceTime your bestie on a Saturday morning before the rest of your family arises.
Daily devotions – research suggests that spirituality is associated with a number of positive outcomes and can serve as a protective factor in your life, so continue to practice your daily devotion and prayer and make watching the live stream of church services apart of your new routine.
