What to do when feeling afraid, overwhelmed, anxious, or panicked?
Whether due to pandemic, finance worries, health concerns, family rifts,,,
Anxiety + Self-care
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It is normal to be surprised by our reaction to events like this, especially if something happening reminds us of something traumatic we have been through before.
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It is normal to be trying to make sense of things through seeking information.
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It is normal to try to find ways to take control of the situation, especially if it seems like things around us are out of control.
When things feel uncertain, overwhelming, or dangerous, it is normal for us to feel stress or fear.
Fear is a good thing that has helped our body before. Think about any time you have darted out of the way of a moving car, or have heard a loud noise in the night.
Fear helps us get mobilized to act on our environment, or do something to keep ourselves or those we love safe.
Stress, like fear, is also a good thing. It helps our body have all the energetic and hormonal responses we need to get through hard times. It helps us stay focused, alert, and aware.
Stress becomes a problem when it hangs around for too long in our system, or we are in an environment that is causing us more stress than is helpful.
Likewise, fear is not bad, but needs to be kept in check. When fear takes over, it can be hard for us to think, rest, eat, connect, create, and just generally live in our lives. We can feel stuck.
In a situation like the Covid-19 pandemic, where information is changing constantly, where we are concerned for those we love, where we feel uncertain about what will happen next, it is normal to feel different.
We might feel fear, powerlessness, grief, sadness, confusion, and might find ourselves managing those emotions in ways that are unusual to us.
Regardless of what will happen next, having some ideas about what we can do right now can help us feel more empowered, connected to ourselves, and more at rest.
Below are some things we can do to help our own mental health, even while engaging in social distancing:
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Engage in the spiritual disciplines that help you feel settled and part of your tradition. Get creative about how to look for connection Use your faith practices and remembering that we are part of a group of people who have used those practices for longer than this fear has been around.
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Reach out to connect with those you care about. This can remind you of meaningful relationships and help you express some of your emotions as well as remind you of positive times.
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Note where your thoughts go. When they go somewhere disturbing, fear-based, or anxiety provoking, take a deep breath, and refocus your thinking on something in front of you, or around you.
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Remember, human touch is helpful for calming our nervous system. If alone, how about some pampering hand cream
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Notice your emotions, and how your behaviour is shaped by your emotions. See your emotions as something that your body is telling you about who you are and what matters to you. In that way, your emotion is a messenger about what matters most to you.
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Find ways to experience / notice the physical sensations of emotion. Express them by talking or writing about it, expressing it visually, or using some sort of movement.
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Engage in self-care activities that are restorative Self-care is anything that helps you connect to who you really are, by being kind to yourself, helping you to rest.
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Try to limit the amount of media you are consuming about whatever is making you fearful. It can be good to get an update, but too much can make us feel more anxious.
If your symptoms of stress and anxiety persist or seem out of control, seek professional medical help
If you live close to Harborne Birmingham, UK and would like a listening ear and someone to pray with you,
make contact with the Healing Prayer Centre via the website: https://www. stjohnsharborne.org
A reminder, you are not alone, and you
will get through this, one step at a time.