Anxiety, Depression and CoVid – Strike THREE!!

by | Apr 15, 2020 | General Health, Helps, Lifestyle

Are you Struggling? Me, too!

Most of us would agree that this situation is unlike anything we have experienced before…or could have imagined even a few months ago!  For some, it has allowed for some positive changes, but for others, it has been very negative.  

As someone who has experienced anxiety and depression, I totally understand the difficulty some may have in ‘finding the silver linings.’  There are good things happening! I have seen lots of evidence of the good that some people or families are finding in the togetherness or separation this situation has caused. However, for some of us it has compounded stress or feelings of loneliness or has been overwhelming.  It is YOU that I am concerned about today. 

Maybe you have never experienced depression or anxiety and you are wondering “what in the heck is wrong with you lately?”  This pandemic has likely brought many changes to how you live your life, and with it, uncertainty, altered daily routines, financial pressures and social isolation. You may worry about getting sick, how long the pandemic will last and what the future will bring. Information overload, rumors and misinformation can make your life feel out of control and make it unclear what to do. Because of this new, unfamiliar situation we all find ourselves in, you may experience stress, anxiety, fear, sadness and loneliness that you’ve never felt before. Or, these may be things you have struggled with and have been exacerbated by the situation. 

I just want to encourage you to pay attention to how you are feeling and I’d like to offer a few suggestions that may help you cope. Whether these feelings are new to you or familiar struggles, it is ok.  There is nothing to be ashamed of. 

Additionally, taking care of yourself, paying attention to how this is impacting you, and taking time to work through some solutions, is NOT inappropriate or selfish. Your responsibilities to your family because of things like schooling at home, etc. are important, but you will meet those expectations with more success if you first acknowledge and address caring for yourself. Self-care strategies are good for your mental and physical health and can help you take charge of your life. This is one of the few areas in our current situation that you DO some control over. 

THE BASICS

  • Develop a schedule, even if it is a temporary one that works for RIGHT NOW. Get enough sleep. Go to bed and get up at the same times each day. Stick close to your typical schedule, even if you’re staying at home.
  • Participate in regular physical activity. Rhythmic activity, such as walking/jogging, running, bouncing on a trampoline are scientifically proven to help the lymphatic system, and are especially helpful for depression.
  • Eat healthy. Choose a well-balanced diet. Avoid loading up on junk food and refined sugar. Limit caffeine as it can aggravate stress and anxiety.
  • Set aside time for yourself. Even a few minutes of quiet time can be refreshing and help to quiet your mind and reduce anxiety. Many people benefit from practices such as prayer, deep breathing, tai chi, yoga or meditation. 
  • Set clear boundaries for work and time for yourself/family. Allowing these to meld together will induce stress, anxiety and feeling overwhelmed.

KNOW YOUR TRIGGERS

If you, like me, have suffered from anxiety or depression for very long, you may be aware of things that trigger the ‘negative’ feelings you experience-like panic, sadness, overwhelming fatigue or feelings of oppression, etc. (those are just some I experience….).  If you don’t know what triggers those feelings, it is ok.  For some, this is temporary and has been induced by the current situation. However, if you find that you are regularly anxious, depressed, or panicked, it is helpful to learn what triggers those feelings. You may be able to figure them out by paying closer attention, journaling, noting things on a calendar, etc.  I will say, it is helpful to understand your triggers, but you may not figure it all out since we are in a temporary situation.

Possible Triggers (=things that when impacted or encountered, trigger a negative response): 

  1. Routine. Has your routine been disrupted?
  2. Media. Are you too connected? Constant news about COVID-19 from all types of media can heighten fears about the disease. 
  3. Being busy. Are you too busy, or not busy enough? 
  4. Focus. Are you focused on the things that are right for you? Don’t focus on what others are doing or achieving and try not to dwell on how bad you feel. 
  5. Expectations. Are there too many being placed on you? Whether self – imposed, or established by others, don’t become overwhelmed by creating a life-changing list of things to achieve while you’re ‘at home’. 
  6. Isolation. Does this fit your personality, or not?
  7. Perspective. Are you inappropriately inward – focused?
  8. Environment. Is your environment healthy?
  9. Nutrition. Are you eating foods that trigger an emotional response?
  10. Support. Do you have support?

These are just a few things to consider as general triggers or inducers of stress, anxiety and depression. Although stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the demands of life, everyone reacts differently to difficult situations, and it’s normal to feel stress and worry during this crisis. Multiple, daily, changes brought about because of the COVID-19 pandemic, can push you beyond your ability to cope. 

Acknowledging your feelings and identifying the possible triggers or situations that induce your negative feelings are important first steps. You can successfully manage, or even overcome these feelings if you can plan your response to them.  Developing strategies, planned responses to the negative feelings, will equip you and give you tools for combating the downward spiral that sometimes happens with depression and anxiety. I tried to align these suggestions with the triggers above to demonstrate the relationships and how planning a response will make it a readily available tool.

STRATEGIES FOR YOUR EMOTIONAL ‘TOOL BOX’:

  1. Establish a routine, even if it is a temporary change from your previous routine.  It may be difficult to put effort into something so temporary, but it will be well worth the effort.  Create workable boundaries between work and family responsibilities.
  2. Disconnect, especially from media-social and news. A distraction can get you away from the cycle of negative thoughts that feed anxiety and depression. Enjoy hobbies that you can do at home, identify a new project or clean out that closet you promised you’d get to. Doing something positive to manage anxiety is a healthy coping strategy.
  3. Recognize some things that no longer need to be done, by you, or at all. You may have new responsibilities that take precedence.  Acknowledge some things that can come off of your plate, temporarily or permanently. 
  4. Consider starting each day by listing things you are thankful for. Maintain a sense of hope, work to accept changes as they occur and try to keep problems in perspective. This is a temporary situation!  Be prepared to discover some positive things about yourself and your life!
  5. Give yourself (and others) some grace. You do not need to come out of this having accomplished anything but surviving!  This is something you and no one else has survived before, so you will be successful, no matter what.
  6. Connect with others. That’s it, just make yourself do it. Choose the method that fits you and start with just one person. Put it on your calendar (that is what I had to do) to call/test/FaceTime one person….it will get the ball rolling, I promise!
  7. Use your moral compass or spiritual life for support. If you draw strength from a belief system, it can bring you comfort during difficult times and help you focus on the ‘appropriate’ things. Thinking about and caring for yourself is good, but a moral and spiritual responsibility toward others is even better.
  8. Make sure your environment is set up as a healthy support for what you need to accomplish.  A cluttered, unstructured environment is typically not conducive to successfully accomplishing your daily goals of work. Treat your space with the same respect as you do your workspace away from home. Clutter can induce anxiety for some of us-I know it does for me!
  9. It is scientifically proven that many things, including foods, illicit an emotional response that can boost our emotions or shove them into darkness. Pay attention to what you have eaten if you are feeling anxious, depressed or fatigued. Your food choices can help or hurt you emotionally, too!
  10. Build support and strengthen your relationships. Making connections can be difficult for some of us, but under these different circumstances, it may be easier, it may seem more natural because we are in a ‘forced’ separation. Because of this, it may be more of a ‘natural’ situation to reach out.

Things to look for and things you can do

Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling helpless, sad, angry, irritable, hopeless, anxious or afraid. You may experience: 

  • trouble concentrating on typical tasks
  • changes in appetite
  • body aches and pains
  • difficulty sleeping
  • you may struggle to accomplish routine chores

If these signs and symptoms last for several days in a row, make you miserable and cause problems in your daily life so that you find it hard to carry out normal responsibilities, it’s time to ask for help. Hoping mental and emotional health problems such as anxiety or depression will go away on their own can lead to worsening symptoms. If you have concerns or if you experience worsening of mental health symptoms, ask for help when you need it, and be upfront about how you’re doing. 

Here are some ways you can get help:

  • Call or use social media to contact a close friend or loved one — even though it may be hard to talk about your feelings.
  • Contact a minister, spiritual leader or someone in your faith community.
  • Contact your employee assistance program, if your employer has one, and get counseling or ask for a referral to a mental health professional.
  • Call your primary care provider or mental health professional to ask about appointment options to talk about your anxiety or depression and get advice and guidance. Some may provide the option of phone, video or online appointments.
  • Contact organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for help and guidance.
  • If you’re feeling suicidal or thinking of hurting yourself, seek help. Contact your primary care provider or a mental health professional. Or call a suicide hotline. In the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or use its webchat at suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat.

Please continue your using strategies like the ones mentioned above. Your current feelings may fade when the pandemic is over, but stress won’t disappear from your life when the health crisis of COVID-19 ends. Continue these self-care practices to take care of your mental health and increase your ability to cope with life’s ongoing challenges. Stress will always be a part of our lives and a certain amount is healthy.  However, understanding what triggers stress and what tools we have to help us bring about balance and a healthy, realistic perspective will serve us well beyond these current circumstances. 

As always, Your Bff is ready and available to help in any way I can! I have included some links to additional, helpful information. I also want to acknowledge that this article is a compilation of several articles from the web, in particular articles from Cleveland Clinic’s online newsletter and WebMd.

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/coping-with-depression.htm

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/helping-someone-with-depression.htm