Life has changed this year. We’ve canceled
vacations, school field trips, and group outings. School is canceled. Offices
have closed. The entire household is home together. All day. For the
foreseeable future.
If this is overwhelming to you, you are not alone.
We’re all in this together—only from a safe distance apart.
“Take it day by day and give yourself time to
settle in and get situated,” said TalkSpace therapist Amy Cirbus, Ph.D, LPC,
LMHC. “Just be really mindful of what you need to do to be healthy for yourself
and the people around you.”
Prioritize physical
health
Cirbus suggests taking care of your physical
health first. Practice good hygiene, assess your risk and make decisions based
on that. Ask yourself what you need to feel safe and comforted.
That might mean creating a new routine for the
household. Make sure everyone is on board. That might mean eating together at a
certain time or keeping remote work to regular work hours and dedicating
off-work hours to quality family time.
Add self-care
From there, do what you need to do to feel
mentally healthy. Cirbus said some of her therapy clients are even seeing the
benefits of additional time at home. It’s an opportunity to do those things we
want to do, but don’t seem to have time for like trying a new recipe or reading
a book.
“Things that we’re always longing for, allow
yourself time to do them,” Cirbus said.
This unprecedented time can spark feelings of
fear, anxiety, isolation, and also anticipation. Cirbus suggested talking to
others about how you’re feeling. Therapists often warn of too much time with
technology, but now is a great time to use it.
“We have these amazing resources of live
video, chat conversations. Schedule in some of that socialization that you
would usually engage in if you were headed to work or to the office,” Cirbus
said.
Limit news
Extended news coverage takes a toll
on mental health.
Cirbus reminds that it’s the news networks’ job to be on all day. That doesn’t
mean you have to watch all day.
“Check in once or twice a day,” she suggested.
“If you have it on all day, it’s not necessarily new information.”
Remember to get news from reputable sources.
Scientists are still learning about this virus and there is a lot of
speculation that shows up on news programs and fills social media feeds. That
can lead to fear.
Connect
Everyone’s life is disrupted right now. It’s a
shared experience, and it’s OK to talk about that and your feelings.
“That helps with combatting isolation right
now,” Cirbus said. We’re all in the same boat. We’re all going through this. We
don’t have a blueprint for this. It’s OK to talk about it and connect.”
You might also find value in finding something
you can do or can control. Maybe that’s going for a walk every day after work,
FaceTiming with a friend or helping a neighbor.
If you’re healthy and able, think about what
you can do. Maybe you can run errands for an at-risk friend or give a roll of
toilet paper to a neighbor who can’t find some. Some people might need a hand
setting up their phone to FaceTime or with childcare, so they can get some work
done. Check your town or neighborhood groups for opportunities to help.
“We can socially isolate but not emotionally
and mentally isolate,” Cirbus said.
Get professional
help
A professional can help you navigate this
uncharted territory. TalkSpace is in-network for all Premera customers. It offers
virtual access to licensed therapists. Get started at Talkspace.com/Premera
“It might be more of a marathon than a sprint,”
Cirbus said. “Reach out if it gets overwhelming.”