Taking Care Of You

Likely many of us are experiencing worry these days. Worry about finding toilet paper at the store when our family needs it.  Worry about staying healthy.  Worry about being off of work and our income being affected.  Worry about being isolated from others.  This new reality feels very different for us all-it’s very shocking.  I want to remind you to take care of you. I’d like to offer a few tips to care for your mental wellbeing during this time:

1.     Don’t watch the news all day.  Media outlets often sensationalize events. They often repeat the same thing over and over.  And over.  I’m not trying to minimize COVID-19, but what I’m saying it that you don’t need to hear about it all day long. I would suggest picking one or two media outlets that you trust, and then pick a time of day to check in with them for updates.  This might mean turning off your news alert notifications on your phone or opting out of news emails for now, but this puts you in control of when you receive news rather than it popping up into your mind throughout the day. 

2.     Get outside.  Take a walk, or give the kids their bikes or scooters rather than going to the park.  Look for bugs in the backyard.  Do some chalk art. Get some fresh air and sunlight, and it can improve your mood.

3.     Don’t think of it as a quarantine.  Think of it like a mini-vacation that you don’t have plans to go anywhere.  Change your perspective to be grateful for all the family time you’re getting in.  Build a fort out of blankets in the basement.  Write letters to family or those in nursing homes.  Put together a family puzzle.  Catch up on your Netflix shows.  Finish that book you’ve been meaning to read.  Just a shift of perspective can help you maintain good mental health throughout this.

4.     Maintain a routine, but be flexible.  Many of you are now trying to work from home, perhaps with kids home from school too.  Quite a new set up!  Don’t try to outline hour by hour, but at least give yourself a rough idea of when you’re doing to do work, or when you’re going to eat lunch.  Although we may resist it, we all really do thrive on structure. Be flexible though- don’t expect you will be able to do as much work as you typically can in the office. And, remember this is an adjustment for everyone. It may feel tempting to stay up late, because hey, you could sleep in the next day, but the closer you can stay to your typical bedtime, the better in the long run.  You can read more about sleep tips here.

I hope some of these tips are helpful for you or someone you know. We are all in this together. I wish you and your family safety and health through this.

The mental health therapists at our office offer counseling for a variety of issues including trauma using EMDR, depression, anxiety, grief, and couples counseling. We work with teens, adults, and couples. We also offer online counseling services which can be great for people with busy schedules or for people who live in parts of Pennsylvania with limited counseling options. You can check out our website to see the full list of counseling services that we offer. Or, Request An Appointment here.