We have all felt it this week. Either in ourselves or others. There are rising levels of anxiety, stress, fear, and panic related to coronavirus. Whether it's worry about staying healthy or fear of the financial impact this may have – the energy is intense. We want to encourage you to take care of yourself during this time.
This Is A Stressful Time for Us All
Everyone has their own definition of what constitutes a stressful event. And everyone has their own unique reaction to those events. If you find that you are not as impacted by the news about coronavirus, that is an okay response. If you find that you are more anxious, fearful, irritable, angry, or numb—that is normal too. Our individual reaction to stressful events is impacted by a number of things. Including, our proximity and exposure to the event, socioeconomic status, personal history, and personality.
Sometimes, responses to stressful events don’t present as emotions. Instead, you may notice:
a change in sleep patterns,
change in appetite,
difficulty concentrating,
worsening of chronic health problems,
increased use of alcohol or drugs,
change in behavior (stocking up on essentials, changing your routine),
psychosomatic symptoms (experiencing psychological distress in the form of physical symptoms).
While it’s important to get and stay informed from credible sources and take precautions to keep ourselves and our communities healthy, it’s also imperative to take care of our physical and mental health. This means sticking to your treatment plan with your healthcare and mental health care providers. Taking medications as prescribed. Attending routine appointments. And, maintaining a healthy diet, exercise, and sleep routine. It also means reaching out for support – family, friends, doctors, therapists, and support groups.
Here are a few ways we can support ourselves and our community right now:
1) Limit intake of media.
With constant exposure to information and stimuli, it is so important to take a break so your brain can recover. Trying to take in more information when under stress already can exacerbate our stress response and worsen how we feel. It is good to keep yourself informed, but consider limiting your exposure to news, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed.
2) Take care of your body.
Drink lots of water, eat healthy, and continue your normal exercise and sleep routine. Good diet, exercise and sleep are three of the main components for supporting your mental and physical health.
3) Rest and take time to relax.
Not only does this mean getting good sleep, but it also can mean making time for quiet/stillness, journaling, listening to music, setting limits/boundaries, removing things from the “to-do” list, playing, and disconnecting from social media.
4) Connect.
We need to talk about our stressors. Connect with others about how you’re feeling and any concerns you have. Connect about other things too. Laugh. There is no reason to stop living your lives right now.
5) Stay Healthy.
Take appropriate precautions to keep yourself healthy. Follow the CDC guidelines for COVID 19 response and health as much as possible. Encourage those around you to do the same.
Remember, Your Mental Health Matters. Telehealth in Montana Helps.
If you find that you are having a difficult time coping or feel overwhelmed. Please reach out to your mental health provider. We will come up with a strategy together to help you through this time. If you need a telehealth, or video therapy, appointment with one of our online counselors in Montana, simply:
Meet with one of our caring, professional online therapists
Begin your therapy journey from the comfort of your home, today
If you still have questions, we would love for you to read our FAQ page!
About the author: Caitlin Brandl, MS, PCLC
In this chaotic world, we are faced with many experiences that leave us feeling stuck, hurt, and overwhelmed. In this place, it can be lonely, isolating, and exhausting. Sometimes we need help navigating through the storm. It takes courage, persistence, and vulnerability to look inside ourselves, grow, change, and find meaning in our experiences.
Caitlin believes a trusting therapeutic relationship can help you heal, come alive, and cultivate resilience and hope so you can feel more connected to yourself and others. Her goal is to help you uncover your true self so that you can live life with a greater sense of peace, joy, and connectedness. Her approach to counseling is down-to-earth, nonjudgmental, and straight forward. You can learn more about Caitlin and her approach to therapy.
Additional Online Mental Health Services in Montana
From our Bozeman counseling clinic, our therapists can help with a number of issues including anxiety, worry, stress, depression and more. This caring team of Bozeman counselors are here for you and your loved ones. Visit us for addiction treatment, group counseling sessions, EMDR and Somatic Experiencing for trauma therapy, body image counseling, opportunities to explore coping patterns, marriage counseling and couples therapy, postpartum depression and anxiety counseling, mindfulness training, workshops and more tools for client education. We look forward to talking with you soon!