There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has caused us great uncertainty. The situation seems to change daily and many are experiencing increased feelings of anxiety, fear, and depression. Clinical Psychology Associate Professor Dr. Michelle Cutler offers some advice on how to cope during this time.
It is important to stay informed, but the amount of information available right now can feel overwhelming and increase feelings of anxiety. Dr. Cutler cautions to be strategic about your intake. “Be aware that in times of uncertainty, people go to extremes, which is not always accurate or helpful,” she explains. “Decide who you are going to ‘trust’, and stick with that.” She recommends the CDC and WHO.
Children are also experiencing increased levels of anxiety. Dr. Cutler explains that during this time they are going to look to caregivers first about how they should be responding. She recommends taking the time to discuss the situation with children and clear up any misinformation. “For kids, you can start from the beginning. Talk with them about planning ahead and helping them be involved in the decisions about things that would be helpful to them,” she says. Fostering a sense of unity and teamwork can help lessen their feelings of anxiety.
Engaging in family activities and projects is a way to help keep everyone’s mind off the situation: “Find things the family likes to do together that gives them comfort at any time. If it’s prayer, if it’s singing songs, if it’s dancing.” With spring approaching, she suggests doing activities together outside, like together in a garden.
If the outdoors is not an option, there are other ways to connect. Dr. Cutler recommends establishing a consistent time for family activities such as baking/cooking, art projects, or playing board games, so that your kids know they will have this time no matter what.
“Find ways to connect with other people,” she emphasizes. “It can be helpful for kids to actively do something to help others, to connect them with the larger community going through these challenges: writing letters to people in nursing homes, thank you notes to health care workers and the people who are working so that you can stay home: consider grocery store workers, people who keep the electricity on, waste management teams. Remember: love, kindness, and compassion are also contagious.”
Technology has also made it possible to connect in ways we hadn’t before. “There are chances to connect in so many areas – virtual knitting sessions, art classes, yoga classes, college courses… spend some time searching to see what is available,” Dr. Cutler says. “Video may feel uncomfortable at first, but it really does help the connection to be able to ‘see’ other people. Eye contact leads to neurobiological changes, and is essential for nervous system regulation.”
Finally, Dr. Cutler recommends thinking of this time as a break from the other stressors of life,
and taking advantage of it by doing things like tackling projects you’ve been meaning to work on or activities/hobbies that you enjoy. “Be
proactive with the self-care,” she stresses. “Now more than ever, a regular sleep routine, and exercise are important. Think about other things you need to feel healthy.”
Dr. Cutler reminds us that it’s normal and understandable to feel anxious or depressed and that there are things we can do to mitigate such adverse effects. She closes with a helpful reminder: “Remember that you are not alone in dealing with this! There are so many other people in the same situation that understand how you feel; we are truly in it together.”
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