Is COVID-19 causing you anxiety and stress? Hamilton Center offers helpful tips

During this challenging time, a lot of people are experiencing stress and anxiety, which is why Hamilton Center’s Chief Clinical Officer Mark Collins, LCSW, recently shared some tips with The Brazil Times.

“Everyone is experiencing increased stress and anxiety during these unprecedented times,” said Collins about the COVID-19 situation. “This is happening to everyone right now. We are all in this together.”

Although some people are not taking the social distancing, hand washing, and the proper hygiene protocols serious, health care officials say it is, and potentially could be worse.

“This is a very serious situation,” said Collins, who provided some tips to help people handle the stress and anxiety they might be feeling while dealing with the unknowns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic:

Good mental health and physical health go hand in hand. The Stay-at-Home mandate doesn’t mean a person can’t go outside and take a walk to get some exercise or go to a local or state park as long as they follow the social distancing requirements.

“Going outside can help fight the stress a person might feel from being in self-isolation or feeling cooped up in the house,” said Collins. “We are naturally social creatures, and being unable to go to work or experience our regular routines of work can be difficult.”

That is why staying connected with family, friends, neighbors, and community is essential. However, regular face-to-face contact is not possible, but technology can help alleviate that issue.

“There are lots of ways that technology can be utilized to stay in touch with people right now,” said Collins about computers, social media sites and cellphones. “It’s not the normal way, and of course, it’s not perfect, but it is available and can be a very useful tool.”

Spending time privately writing in a journal could be another way for a person to express work on their feelings and come to an understanding of what is happening now.

“So often, as time passes, we realize that our greatest fears don’t even materialize. Journal writing allows a person to write all that down, and then look back at it to help them get some perspective on the situation.”

Although, some people may feel more impact of the fear than others and may develop into panic attacks, anxiety disorder or depression.

“In those cases, or if a person is feeling overwhelmed, that is the time to reach out for help,” he said. “It can be a friend, a family member, a member of the clergy, someone who will listen is often all it takes to help a person realize they aren’t the only person feeling like they do. Realizing they are not alone is a big comfort.”

Try and maintain a regular routine as much as possible during the Stay-at-Home mandate. No one is perfect, and mistakes will happen, but trying to keep some type of schedule is essential now, and after this pandemic is over.

“This might be the first time a person is working at home, or maybe the first time both the husband and the wife are home working. This most definitely is the first time school has been canceled for the remainder of the year, and the children are at home too. That can be difficult to juggle with the uncertainty of COVID-19 in the mix,” Collins said. “Having something normal, like a routine schedule, can be comforting for everyone.”

As COVID-19 makes history around the world as society struggles to fight the virus from spreading, children of all ages could be struggling with the situation. Officials agree that parents should have age-appropriate discussions rooted in honesty about the situation to help stop the fear and anxiety from the viewpoint of a child.

“It is important that we, as adult role models, remain calm and confident about our ability to problem-solve, and the use of sound judgment while teaching our children coping skills,” Collins said, adding it helps if we realize we should “focus on the things we can control. Then we can base our actions on facts and utilize guidance from experts when responding to questions by our youth. Also, we must be truthful with those around us, even children, talking about the facts of what we know today without getting ahead of ourselves.”

The Hamilton Center provides some tips and guidance to help people gain some control and feel better in this uncertain time, including:

• Use reliable resources to stay informed like the cdc.gov/coronavirus and in.gov/coronavirus.

• Be honest when discussing the issue with others, especially your doctor.

• Use age-appropriate responses/explanations in communication.

• Limit consumption of news and social media with young children or those who are overwhelmed with information.

• Practice and promote safe and effective hand washing, good hygiene, and cleanliness in high traffic areas.

• Stay home when you or anyone in your household is sick or experiencing symptoms: fever, cough, shortness of breath.

• Get carryout/delivery from your favorite restaurant.

• Use the time to connect with children and families – think fun!

• Do things that help relax you and promote mental wellness: yoga, meditation, reading a good book, etc.

• Stay active — run, walk, hike, exercise.

• Check on family, friends, and particularly those in isolation.

If you are experiencing significant emotional distress, reach out to family, friends, or a mental health professional.

Hamilton Center, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit regional health system in central and west-central Indiana. The Organization is building hope and changing lives through a broad array of health services for people during their entire lifecycle, birth through older adulthood. Services are individualized, trauma-informed, and evidence-based.

Hamilton Center, Inc.’s CEO Melvin L. Burks provides daily Facebook Live updates about the fight against COVID-19 at Hamilton Center’s Facebook page. For further information go to www.hamiltoncenter.org or call 1-800-743-0787.