Here is a resource that we hope would be helpful to you in these challenging times. Anne Shannon is a member of our church who is a professional therapist.
We are living a collective experience. The Covid-19 crisis is an event that can be highly stressful and anxiety producing, bringing unexpected tension into our lives. It affects every member of our families, and all aspects of our day-to-day living. But we do have tools at hand that can help us reduce the stressors of everyday living through a pandemic.
It is natural and normal to have a response of fear when faced with something that is a threat. Fear is felt and experienced by each one of us in unique ways, but it produces some common effects in our bodies, minds, emotions, and sense of well-being.
It is also normal to be easily overwhelmed, to panic, to turn away, and to try to deflect or brush off a crisis. These are all ways of coping with the overwhelming. In the long run, avoidant choices take a toll on our bodies, emotions, and relationships. To regain perspective and focus, it is helpful to address our emotions gradually, at a pace we can handle.
In a time of ongoing stress, it is important to find rhythms of living that bring down fear and reduce its impact on us. These rhythms help us as we walk through uncertainty, and as we recover. An additional benefit of reducing stress responses during the COVID-19 crisis is that it strengthens our immune system.
During crisis, we have the opportunity to learn new things about ourselves and those around us: strengths we didn’t realize we had, and limitations we would be wise to acknowledge.
This handout is intended to give you a general outline of what we are collectively experiencing during the Covid-19 pandemic, along with ideas and suggestions to start you on your way to naming your own unique experiences of this season. It is designed as a mental health first-aid kit, not to replace attention from a mental health professional, but to prepare you to manage your stresses as you find rhythms that are a fit for you during this time.