Coping at Home: Coronavirus

Who could have guessed that we would face the myriad of challenges we have today as a result of the spread of the Coronavirus. Undeniably, it affects us all physically, spiritually and emotionally. I have had to adjust the way I do therapy and am currently participating in on-line sessions through the use of Zoom. Meanwhile, I want to share a few tips that may invigorate a greater sense of emotional connection to friends and family members, balance in your individual personal life and stress reduction. - Acknowledge your feelings of shock, surprise and concern regarding the Coronavirus and it's impact in your life and the world, and share with a spouse, immediate or extended family member and/or friends. - Grieve the loss of life as you've known it. Life currently includes language and behaviors that have never been part of our lives before; lockdown, quarantine and social distancing. All of this is unfamiliar and can trigger feelings of fear and helplessness which are natural responses in the current situation. - If you have young children at home refer to CDC.gov for guidance on how best to talk to children about the Coronavirus in a way that offers clarity and minimizes fear and anxiety. - Ensure you set aside quiet or private time away from your spouse or other family members. Take turns with your spouse participating in activities with children so each of you can have rest and downtime. - Tension can be easily triggered when you are not used to spending so much time together. Take time outs when you feel tension mounting. Remember, time outs are never meant to be punishing. They are for the purpose of self-soothing and regaining calm so that you can return to a discussion with your emotions better regulated. - Agree to set aside unresolved marital or family issues during this time. You can revisit these issues when the current situation changes. - Try to maintain connection with people through Zoom or other digital communication based formats. Face-to-face communication can enhance connection through gesture, smiles, frowns and talking in turns. It is important to maintain this kind of connection with those you cannot spend time with now. - Worry may be a tendency you have. Don't set the high expectation that you can just stop worrying but schedule worry times: give yourself permission to worry 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening. Perhaps set an alarm for when the worry session is over. In this way you are controlling the worry and not feeling controlled by it. - Reach out for support whether it's a virtual coffee break with a friend, literature and on-line resources, and/or personal therapy. It is admittedly an extremely trying time for all of us yet, we can feel more in control, connected with others and well-balanced if we implement these and other resources available.