Conquering COVID-19
Looking after your mental health during the pandemic
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is a seismic public health challenge. We have not seen a societal wellbeing threat like this for over 100 years since the influenza pandemic of 1918.
This virus also represents an unprecedented mental health challenge as billions of people around the world grapple with the psychological implications of this illness. However, there are many strategies we can call upon to help us cope during this tough time.
Covid well-being challenges
This pandemic poses several threats to our wellbeing through the numerous direct and indirect effects on our lives. Coronavirus presents mental health hurdles that many have not previously faced. These are some of the many challenges:
Health Anxiety. The seriousness and widespread nature of this virus represent a serious threat to our physical health. We are directly confronted by the possibility of becoming seriously ill or worse.
Change in Social Contact. You are probably experiencing a significant change in the nature of your contact with friends and family, whether you are isolating alone or confined to a restricted space with others. This change is stressful and unlikely to change in the immediate future.
Uncertainty. With no clear sense of what the future holds in this pandemic, many people are struggling to live day-to-day with the unknown.
Routine Changes. Social distancing, restrictions in movement, and the closure of businesses have turned life upside down. We are living in unfamiliar circumstances far removed from our regular routines.
Lack of Control. There are many aspects of this situation that are beyond our control. Stressful events such as this pandemic force us to confront the many things in life over which we have little or no control.
Loss. People are facing loss in many forms. Some are facing the loss of loved ones. Others have/will lose jobs, their businesses, and their usual way of life.
The pandemic psychological impact
The psychological effects of this pandemic are likely to be wide-ranging and ongoing. Stress, anxiety, and low mood are common difficulties that people are already facing. Those people who have and will lose loved ones will have to face bereavement. However, loss and grief will be wide-ranging, as described above. Some people will also encounter an altered view of the world. This change often occurs through a profoundly challenging life event.
Coping with COVID-19
In light of the many challenges brought by this pandemic, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless. Many have provided advice on how to cope with COVID-19. I like to keep psychological strategies as straight-forward as possible, so I am going to focus on just three words; Normalise, Flexibility, and Control.
Normalise
Normalise means acknowledging the monumental challenges presented by this pandemic. You are not imagining things; this situation is extremely stressful and coping is difficult. As long as you commit to having a wellbeing action plan, this is not giving up and raising the white flag. Being harsh or critical towards yourself for any adverse psychological reaction will only intensify the threat to your mental health. 'Normalising' the stress associated with COVID-19 helps you to avoid wasting your energy on unhelpful reactions, allowing you to prioritise more useful responses.
TIP: 'Unhooking' (or defusing) from difficult thoughts help you to step back from self-criticism and normalise your psychological response to this pandemic. You can find some useful unhooking exercises here.
Flexibility
Being flexible in the use of coping strategies is beneficial for your wellbeing. Avoid relying on one or two go-to strategies. Instead, use a wide range of coping tools to help deal with challenges brought by COVID-19. Overusing a particular strategy can harm your wellbeing because different challenges call for different responses. Here is a list of coping options if you are stuck generating your own.
TIP: Brainstorm all the coping responses you've made to big and small challenges throughout your life. Write these down on a piece of paper, then classify them as 'helpful', 'neutral/unsure' and 'unhelpful'. Prioritise three to five of the helpful strategies and use them as alternatives to commonly-used items from your unhelpful list. You can ask friends and/or family members to complete this exercise, then compare results to help identify additional coping tools.
Control
Your psychological wellbeing will be compromised if you attempt to direct your energy towards controlling the uncontrollable. In the current context, here are some of the key things you CANNOT control-
The duration of the pandemic
Other people's adherence to social distancing
The supply of items in the supermarket
By contrast, here are things you can influence-
How you plan your day
What activities you prioritise
How much news you watch (focus on facts, official messages)
Following formal advice of your government/health authority
Your social distancing
Your attitude towards yourself and others
How you look after your physical health (diet, exercise, etc.)
TIP: Write down the uncontrollable aspects of the pandemic that have the biggest negative impact on your wellbeing. For each of these issues, ask yourself 'What's another way to look at this situation that can help minimise the negative impact on me?'
Summary
We can easily over-complicate our coping responses in challenging circumstances and become overwhelmed with the amount of information now emerging on the psychology of COVID-19. I've tried to keep my suggestions simple. Just remember Normalise, Flexibility, and Control. My three coping responses to the pandemic. There is lots of other useful advice out there too. For example, Kristy Jacob’s suggestions for living with anxiety while on lock-down (she’s family, but she knows what she’s on about!).
If you are really struggling to manage in these difficult times, I would encourage you to seek some help from friends, family, or even a professional if needed. I work online and am happy to answer any questions you may have on this topic.
Here is a video version of this post.