In recent months, CPN Behavioral Health Department Psychologist Shannon Beach has noticed a shift in anxiety focused first on the virus and sickness to its consequences now, such as quarantine, uncertainty, life management and more.
We aren’t always clear with one another in our communication. Right now seems particularly difficult to many people with so many messages about so many things going on in our society.
While many of us long for the kind of human contact we knew in the recent past, we can still experience too much closeness at times with the people we love. I know this seems confusing, and that’s because it is! But it’s also okay.
When we feel irritated, frustrated or annoyed with other people, trying to understand them and their thoughts will certainly help reduce those feelings. Almost every time we feel one of these three feelings, it is because we do not understand something about where others are coming from.
Our purpose in all of this is to stay safe. Stay safe physically and emotionally. Those are the goals. After that, go ahead and pick up a new hobby, or stay home and do nothing; or find a balance between the two.
While it is certainly important to stay informed, it is also important to know when to take a break and avoid information overload. Sometimes this is going to include letting people around us know when to take a break.
A lot of us have had anxiety about COVID-19, anxiety and/or depressive feelings from the restrictions intended for our protection, and anxiety about the re-integration to social interactions that we may have wanted for a while, which is okay.
Many of us have experienced loss, or the news of family, friends, or pets being sick at times in our lives. This can be devastating news, eliciting anger that we can turn to hope.
Journaling is something anyone with a pen or pencil and a piece of paper, a computer, tablet or smartphone can do just about anywhere that can help us get through some of our toughest times.
Whatever the loss, we are going through this in a way that is different than we have before. This makes it important to try and understand what we are experiencing so we have a better idea of what to do.