The
panic associated with what the media is reporting has contributed to a change
in emotions for many of us. I have been
addressing it lately with my clients and students because I am concerned that
they do not realize what is really happening.
In the span of just a few weeks, we have begun to isolate ourselves from
each other. People feel anxiety, worry,
or fear related to their own health status and the health status of others who may have
been exposed to the virus. There is a
resentment that your friends and family may feel if they need to go into
quarantine as a result of contact with someone who has been affected. There is concern about being able to
effectively care for children or family members, uncertainty or frustration
about how long you will need to remain in this situation and concern about the
future. The tumultuous ride the stock market has been taking is wreaking havoc
with our retirement funds. We feel
loneliness associated with the feeling of being cut off from the world and from
loved ones. Perhaps you are experiencing boredom and frustration because you
may not be able to work or engage in regular day-to-day activities. Maybe there is an increased desire to use
alcohol or drugs to cope. Symptoms of depression, such as feelings of
hopelessness, changes in appetite or sleeping too little or too much have been
part of your daily life. You get the
picture.
What
is fueling all of the above is the fact that our society requires a certain
degree of interaction and connection with the human race in order to experience
joy. Social Distancing has forced us to
change our habits. I work in the
business world during the day and now, when greeting clients and business
associates, there is no handshake. Just
an awkward silence as you wave at each other from a respectable distance. Working in the fitness world, I am used to
receiving hugs and embraces from clients and students because they want to
express their happiness at experiencing a breakthrough or a positive
moment. There is none of that now. Again we just stare awkwardly at each other
and just shrug our shoulders. Yes,
people are anxious, worried, angry and frustrated at having to curtail their
emotions. The other day a bike messenger
was aiming directly at me on a totally empty Manhattan street. I stopped and bravely, in my best Carrie
Mathison moment, stared him in the face.
He must have heard the silent voice in my head saying, “Dude – you SO
need a hug” and that stopped him dead in his tracks.
As
humans, we NEED to connect with others.
What we are experiencing right now is a lack of the touch and hugging
that was part of our lives prior to the arrival of the Coronavirus. Reaching out to people you trust is one of
the best ways to reduce anxiety, depression, loneliness, and boredom during
social distancing, quarantine, and isolation. Think of the ways that you can do
that: using telephone, email, text messaging and social media to connect with
friends, family, and others. Talk “face
to face” with friends and loved ones using Skype or FaceTime. In addition, use practical ways to cope and
relax by doing things that work for you.
Take deep breaths, meditate, stretch and engage in activities that you
enjoy. Aside from “washing your hands
often and not touching your face”, make sure you get enough rest and eat
cleanly to boost your immune system.
We will all come in contact with pathogens. The trick is that we can fight this off if
our immune system is functioning at its highest level.
So,
as the world attempts to get Covid-19 under control, Lysol your surfaces 😊,
be proactive instead of reactive, talk about your experiences and feelings to
loved ones and friends, maintain a sense of hope and positive thinking and
continue to hug. What???? No - not the real thing but how about a
virtual hug? Try it! I guarantee it will make you feel better
because it’s what comes natural to us 😊
Keep
calm and carry on!
No comments:
Post a Comment