It seems like a lifetime ago when we could freely roam about our communities without worries of catching a deadly virus. Life is certainly more unpredictable these days with the COVID-19 pandemic running its course. It used to be that we’d wake up and know fairly well how our day was going to go. We had the security of a job, a fairly good assurance of coming home without any type of virus, and a routine that helped us feel stable.
However, since COVID-19, we’re living in a world where fear and panic have risen to the surface, with many people struggling to cope each day.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), fear and panic are defined as intensified or excessive fear launched by something specific. Panic is defined as intense or paralyzing fear that tends to come
on suddenly.
Life as normal changed when our everyday lives were hit with COVID-19. No longer could we wake up and use our freedom to engage in work or our communities as we pleased. No longer could we face each day with a certainty that we and our loved ones would be alright. The underlying emotion in most homes has become fear and panic.
Effects On Mental Health Workers
As a psychotherapist working in a hospital, I’ve witnessed the direct effects COVID-19 has had on health care workers. A co-worker shared with me how challenging it’s been for her to watch patients suffer alone. In one instance, she had a patient quarantined with the virus. His family was not allowed in the room to see him, so she moved his bed by the window so he could see them as he talked to them on the phone.
The grief and fear healthcare workers are carrying can become quite heavy at times. They are courageously stepping it up to care for those that fall ill, all-the-while trying to practice self-care.
COVID-19 And Generalized Anxiety
When someone experiences persistent, intense worry, it’s diagnosed as Generalized Anxiety Disorder. It could very well be that most of the world is experiencing these symptoms directly due to the pandemic.
Anxiety, fear, and panic have set the stage for communities to begin living life in a different, self-distancing, isolated way.
All of us have had to change our routines and make life adjustments that we hope will keep ourselves
and our families safe.
At the time of writing this blog, statistics report that there are almost 18 million people around the world that have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Over 685,000 have died. The tragedy of loss behind the numbers is huge. The grief that cries out around the globe monstrous. All the while, most people continue to struggle with the same questions.
- When will this be over?
- Will I be alright? Will my family be alright?
- What if I get sick?
- Will I get my job back?
- How am I going to recover from this?
- What will life be like after the pandemic?
Moving forward, it will be important that all of us try to cultivate a new sense of normal. A sense of stability
post COVID-19.
Preparing For Life After The Virus
Most people want to get back to work and a sense of normalcy. They’re eager to get back to a routine with some stability. Routines help us feel stable and help bring a calming to our emotions. For children, parents can help them prepare for going back to school or being at home without parents when they return to work by keeping routine and structure in place at home during the pandemic. Children tend to thrive better when there are schedules and consistency.
For adults, practicing self-care is essential. With the excess free time we’re experiencing, be sure to fill that time with things that nurture yourself. Get plenty of sleep. Take time to exercise. Do things that you enjoy. It’s easy to let boredom in the cracks, so consciously take on each day as it comes, engaging in meaningful tasks for yourself and with your
loved ones.
Hope For Life Post COVID-19
There will be a day when the pandemic is over. Keep that in mind. People will return to work. Children will return to school or daycare. The economy will startup again. Offer gratitude for what will be once again in the near future, as well as for all the good in your life right now. Enjoy the simple things right under your nose.
In the grand scheme of things, it is an opportune time to evaluate our values and priorities. We have some time to reflect on what’s most important to us, as well as learn valuable lessons along the way regarding health, relationships with loved ones, community, and life in general.
About Vivian
Having spent 26 years as a registered nurse, she is passionate about helping people physically, but now she is dedicated her time to caring for the mental health and wellbeing of her clients. She is a trained psychotherapist and she has a background in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Grief and Bereavement and currently, studying trauma focused therapy in University of Wilfred Laurier. Vivian continues to see clients for individual and couple therapy by video conference
or in-person.
