Be Kind To Yourself

By: Melody Rabor-Dizon

 

If it’s not the unknown, the uncertainty of what tomorrow brings, the nonstop blaring news on every channel of the pandemic statistics of lives claimed, loss of a job, for others the painful loss of a loved one, the grim positive diagnosis of covid, the reality that when you get dropped off in ER you may never see your loved one again, that when death is close there’s just you and the machines, the loneliness, the fear, the anxiety, the despair, the hopelessness, the list goes on….. These are emotions that are surrounding us every day, day in and day out, and to some we know these are symptoms of a near-breakdown. And if there is anything I want you to take away from this – is that it is okay.

Let us BE KIND TO OURSELVES. These are unprecedented times. Now is not the time to expect more from you. Now is not the time to outperform yourself, exceed expectations or to prove to yourself. Now is the time to just be. Allow yourself to just be. Cry if you need to. Be forgiving of yourself. The whole world is in crises. The whole world is grieving to some kind of a loss. A loss of some normalcy.

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people. It can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in everyone. Coping with stress during an infectious disease outbreak can include

• Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones

• Changes in sleep or eating patterns

• Difficulty sleeping or concentrating

• Worsening of chronic health problems

• Worsening of mental health conditions

• Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs Ways to cope with stress

• Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Better yet, turn them off. You do not need to hear it every minute of the day. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.

• Take care of your body.

o Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate

o Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals.

o Exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep.

o Avoid alcohol and drugs.

• Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.

• Schedule a daily connection with others. Talk with people you love and trust about your concerns and how you are feeling. • Start and end each day refueling, renewing, refilling, recharging and restoring your soul, your body, your heart and your spirituality. The way you start your day will set the attitude of your day. Set it right. God’s word first word. God’s word last word ( Pastor Rick Warren)

• Find a healthy habit: gardening, painting, learning to play an instrument, dancing If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel like you want to harm yourself or others, please Call 911

• Visit the Disaster Distress Helpline call 1-800-985-5990, or text Talk With Us to 66746

• Visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline icon or call 1-800- 799-7233 and TTY 1-800-787-3224

• Call your healthcare provider if stress gets in the way of your daily activities for several days in a row.

• People with preexisting mental health conditions should continue with their treatment and be aware of new or worsening symptoms. Additional information can be found at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Support your loved ones Check in with your loved ones often. Virtual communication can help you and your loved ones feel less lonely and isolated. Consider connecting with loved ones by: Telephone, Email, Mailing letters or cards, Text messages, Video chat, Social media Help keep your loved ones safe.

• Know what medications your loved one is taking. Try to help them have a 4-week supply of prescription and over the counter medications. and see if you can help them have extra on hand.

• Monitor other medical supplies (oxygen, incontinence, dialysis, wound care) needed and create a back-up plan

. • Stock up on non-perishable food (canned foods, dried beans, pasta) to have on hand in your home to minimize trips to stores.

• If you care for a loved one living in a care facility, monitor the situation, and speak with facility administrators or staff over the phone. Ask about the health of the other residents frequently and know the protocol if there is an outbreak.

Take care of your own emotional health. Caring for a loved one can take an emotional toll, especially during an outbreak like COVID-19. There are ways to support yourself.

Stay home if you are sick. Do not visit family or friends who are at greater risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Use virtual communication to keep in touch to support your loved one and keep them safe.

For people coming out of quarantine

It can be stressful to be separated from others if a healthcare provider thinks you may have been exposed to COVID-19, even if you do not get sick. Everyone feels differently after coming out of quarantine.

Emotional reactions to coming out of quarantine may include

• Mixed emotions, including relief after quarantine

• Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones

• Stress from the experience of monitoring yourself or being monitored by others for signs and symptoms of COVID-19

• Sadness, anger, or frustration because friends or loved ones have unfounded fears of contracting the disease from contact with you, even though you have been determined not to be contagious

• Guilt about not being able to perform normal work or parenting duties during quarantine

• Other emotional or mental health changes

For responders

Responding to COVID-19 can take an emotional toll on you, and you may experience secondary traumatic stress. Secondary traumatic stress is stress reactions and symptoms resulting from exposure to another individual’s traumatic experiences, rather than from exposure directly to a traumatic event.

There are things you can do to reduce secondary traumatic stress reactions:

• Acknowledge that secondary traumatic stress can impact anyone helping families after a traumatic event.

• Learn the symptoms including physical (fatigue, illness) and mental (fear, withdrawal, guilt).

• Allow time for you and your family to recover from responding to the pandemic.

• Create a menu of personal self-care activities that you enjoy, such as spending time with friends and family, exercising, or reading a book.

• Take a break from media coverage of COVID-19.

• Ask for help if you feel overwhelmed or concerned that COVID-19 is affecting your ability to care for your family and patients as you did before the outbreak.

What we have during these difficult time is each other. We, Chicagoans are comprised of communities, families, individuals who look out for each other. We are resilient, we are in this together and we will see each other on the other side, my VIATIMES FAMILY. I LOVE YOU ALL