5 Techniques to Help Us Cope with Stress, Isolation, and other Pandemic-related issues
People respond to adversity, or tough situations in different ways:?
I'm going to reassure you, firstly, that your response is nothing to be ashamed of. There is no "standard response" and while the world has become technologically advanced over the past two decades, many of us still react the way our parents and grandparents would. That’s what makes us human instead of a machine!?
We’ve seen brave first responders, doctors, sanitation workers, and those in food preparation, working hard to maintain essential functions in our communities, and we applaud and appreciate them and their continued efforts. We know of or have we experienced family, friends, and colleagues who were either under stay-at-home instructions or deliberately chose to cut themselves off in an effort to wait out the Covid-19 pandemic. They responded with stress, anxiety, and despair; they probably felt lonely and isolated, like everyone around them had forgotten their existence, their pain. ?
It takes courage to go out there every day and face the unknown. It takes even more courage to face yourself, to understand you need assistance in some way, and seek help. Today we will explore a few ways we can improve upon our personal situation, and possibly assist others in bettering their own.?
We live in an age where ‘Anxiety’ has become a punchline (thanks Kardashians!) or a means to gain attention and it is unfortunate as there are many who live this reality day in, day out. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a few practical management skills to help us adjust – and make no mistake. This is an adjustment for many.?
WHO has developed 5 techniques to help us cope:?
A number of those sound familiar, right? Many of us were taught the value of kindness, especially towards the vulnerable and voiceless. Let’s explore the first and second techniques, Grounding and Unhooking.?
Whether we have dealt with personal violence, having to start life as a refugee in a strange new land (dispossessed), or face the stress of being unable to provide for yourself and/or your family (especially during the pandemic), this type of stress can drag you down and weigh heavily on shoulders already burdened by daily struggles. Remember, you are not alone. There are others within your community undergoing a similar situation. What we can do is deal with the stress, so it doesn’t manifest (show up) in our health. ?
Upset stomachs, headaches, no appetite, and pain in your back and shoulders are some of the common symptoms of stress taking its toll on your body. Perhaps you feel, “It’s not that big a deal. I’ll just handle it like I usually do”. By not paying attention to what our body is telling us, we can lose focus in our job or home life, feel increasingly restless, unable to sleep properly (insomnia), feel guilty and/or sad, and oftentimes have no energy whatsoever (fatigue). And these symptoms might be stuff we’re used to!?
We start fearing what the future may bring and this becomes a habit – we’re like the proverbial fish caught on a hook with no means of escape. We might act out and offend our family, friends, and colleagues. During this period, let’s focus and remind ourselves of who we are (our values), that we’re strong and rooted, that whatever is trying to blow us over will not succeed! Let’s focus on being Grounded and Unhook whatever invisible chains are keeping us captive.?
How do I do this??
Let’s start with a small task – let’s engage ourselves in really noticing how we breathe. Let’s focus on our senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and feel. How does it smell? Do we like the taste or smell (Yes, air can taste salty!)? Is it a pleasant sound? By engaging ourselves on these tasks, we unhook ourselves from negative thoughts weighing us down and learn to focus. While it may seem like a simple task, it’s meant to make us regroup our thoughts and feelings, regain control of things we can control (ourselves), and have a grounded outlook. ?
An Illustrated Guide by WHO: Doing What Matters in Times of Stress ?
Feeling an “emotional storm” coming over you? Worried you will be carried away in a tornado of negative thoughts and feeling? Take a deep breath and focus. Better yet, help someone else get through a tough time.??
After doing that a few times, let’s write down thoughts and feelings which hook us. These may manifest in a headache or tightness in our chest. We don’t have to share that with anyone – it’s for us to keep track of our mental and physical health. You may not be able to dive too deeply during the first few rounds of these exercises – and that’s ok.??
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By engaging these steps, you regroup and can focus on key values (grounding yourself) and revealing things which negatively impact you (unhooking). “Will these techniques get rid of the negative thoughts and feelings permanently?” That’s not the point of the exercise. We want to engage ourselves in our lives but in order to do that, we need to learn to focus on areas outside these negative thought bubbles. Practice makes us better at engaging these techniques, so ensure you actually do it.?
Let’s move onto the third technique, Acting on Your Values.?
Values describe the kind of person you want to be, how you want to treat yourself and others (humans and animals) and the world (the environment) around you. “Do values matter?”?
They do! Our values determine how we act, especially under pressure. We’re not talking about perfection but being kind, caring, and supportive of others.??
Many of us feel like we have no impact on the world around us but that’s not true. Our values lead to actions and actions can change the world, for better or worse. You decide the type of world you want to live in and use your values to create positive actions.??
Ask yourself, “Do my actions support my values, and if not, how can I make a positive change in order to turn this around?”??
These are a few common values that can make a difference in your life and those around you. Do you have a role model? We don’t mean a financial role model or similar but someone who is a mentor to others, someone whose actions encourages others to be and do better! Pay attention to them and think about ways in which you can improve the life of someone around you – this can be a person, an animal or the environment (a living being in its own right).?
Now let’s write down a few steps (just for you) to make this happen. Pick something achievable for the first few rounds so you do not become discouraged at the offset.?
Onto the fourth technique, Being Kind.?
Ever heard the saying, “It takes nothing to be kind.” Well, it’s true, and there’s a bonus. You feel better about yourself by being kind to another!??
“How can I be kind to myself?” That’s a great question. Now we’re not talking about going on a shopping spree – that’s a materialistic end which doesn’t contribute much toward your life in a meaningful way. Being kind to yourself means refraining from being overly critical of you. These could be thought or negative judgements like, “I am so useless/worthless”.??
Write a few of these negative comments down, take a deep breath and ground yourself. Engage in the exercises we discussed previously. These harsh thoughts and feelings won’t disappear overnight, but you will learn to appreciate yourself more, and in doing so, will appreciate others and treat them as you expect to be treated. Remember, kindness starts in the home and with yourself.?
Let’s move onto the final technique, Making Room.?
This step is similar to Unhooking where we take a look at the negative thought patterns and feelings, engage in our exercises and Make Room for these alongside the good bits. Making room means accepting they exist instead of ignoring them outright. We combine all the previous exercises and face ourselves in total honesty.??
Every journey begins with a single step – let’s take that step together!?