Keeping Your Glass Half Full Amid the Coronavirus Doom & Gloom
The coronavirus is taking a toll on our mental and our physical health.
There has to be an upside to all this coronavirus anxiety somewhere, right?
It isn’t going to just go away, and I have no doubt the world will be profoundly changed by what we are experiencing.
So let’s focus on what we can control for now. Priority One must be your well-being. Priority Two needs to be a willingness to look beyond your immediate circumstances or, as Mr. Rogers used to say, “Look for the Helpers.”
I’ll update these resources periodically, and encourage readers to use the comments section to contribute their ideas. (The comments are moderated, and it may take a bit to see yours appear.)
There is a great article at the Guardian that inspired me to write this post. I encourage you to read it as well, and fully admit to stealing liberally from it. Those passages are in italics.
There are more ideas, actions and thoughts I’ve added beyond this excerpt:
Acknowledge your anxiety
People deal with anxiety in ways that range from harmless to harmful – from binge-watching TV to comfort eating and alcohol. But the commonality is that these are ways of avoiding dealing with it, says psychiatrist Dr Richa Bhatia.
First, she recommends acknowledging that anxiety, which is a normal evolutionary reaction to a perceived danger or threat.
And Bhatia suggests trying to reframe anxiety as “a set of feelings, thoughts and emotions” rather than something defining to you or your life. “Feelings come and go and they will pass, and that’s what we have to remind ourselves when we are feeling anxious.”
Schedule worrying
If the worry gets overwhelming, Bhatia recommends putting aside a set time for it, say 30 minutes a day. “This might seem counterintuitive, but it can actually help reduce worrying.” The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) says setting a daily half-hour “worry period” at the same time and place helps to stay in the present moment the rest of the day. During the allotted slot it recommends “distinguishing between worries over which you have little or no control, and worries about problems you can influence.”
NOTE -- You may find it useful to limit your consumption of news media; two or three periods scattered throughout the day are all you need to keep informed.
Reframe the situation
You are not “stuck inside”. No, you are indulging in a long-awaited opportunity to slow down, focus on yourself and your home, writes psychologist Dr Aarti Gupta at the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
“Doing one productive thing per day can lead to a more positive attitude,” she writes. “Set your sights on long-avoided tasks, reorganize, or create something you’ve always wanted to.”
Set quarantine rituals
With all the additional time spent not commuting or getting to places, Gupta suggests using it to do something special with new rituals. This could entail a walk first thing in the morning, starting a journal, or speaking to a family member every morning on FaceTime.
“Having something special during this time will help you look forward to each new day,” she writes.
Get moving
Exercise is a “classic anxiety reduction strategy”, says Duckworth [Dr Ken Duckworth, medical director of National Alliance on Mental Illness]. A review in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that those who exercise just one day a week may experience a happiness boost. It could be YouTube classes, a fitness app, cycling, jogging – and a New York club called Nowadays has created an online “virtual club” with live DJ sets every night.
Small acts of altruism
Helping others can give you a sense of purpose and control. Do you have an elderly or sick neighbor you can offer your services to? “The idea is to get out of the helpless zone if you can. If you can get out of that then be an agent,” says Duckworth.
Physical distancing, not social distancing
It goes without saying, but “loneliness is bad for humans,” says Duckworth. Have a coffee over FaceTime. Call your parents or kids every day.
San Diego Stuff
The San Diego Mutual Aid Board at Facebook is an ever growing and moderated list of our local “helpers.”
From their pinned post (there are lots more ideas and thoughts; I've added a few)
(If you have additional resources, add them in the comments, which are moderated & may take a bit before appearing.)
------------MUTUAL AID--------------
-------------OTHER RESOURCES--------------
Places to get tested for Covid-19
San Diego Public Health Epidemiology Hotline - (619) 692 8499
Scripps Green COVID19 tent - (888)261-8431 to schedule. Schedule M-F 7am-5pm, Sat/Sunday 8am-5pm NO cost.
------------UNEMPLOYMENT INFO---------------------
---------BUSINESSES THAT ARE HIRING RIGHT NOW-------
----------CHARITIES AND FUNDS TO DONATE TO-----------
----------EMERGENCY FOOD OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE--------
United Way COVID-19 Community Relief Fund 1-866-211-9966
----------SAFE OVERNIGHT PARKING------------------
----------INFO & VIDEOS----------------
To be up to date and informed or just to pass the time
(If you have additional resources add them in the comments, which are moderated & may take a bit before appearing.)
Support Your Local Press
Local news outlets have been doing a good job of providing information. Subscribe or Donate if you can.
People I Saw on Twitter Today Talking About Coronavirus (Not a complete list)
Press Persons to follow on Twitter
https://twitter.com/RexChapman/status/1240756119871598592?s=20
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Email me at WritetoDougPorter@Gmail.com