Surviving CoViD mind games

After almost two years of incessant bombardment by the pandemic, many of us are so stressed that we have become emotionally- overtaxed and physically- fatigued.

We dread seeing the lone lighted candle on so many Facebook profiles, which often elicits expressions of shock, sympathy, or the ubiquitous question: What happened?

Personally, this daily depletion of both emotional and physical energy has created in me a numbness that may be misinterpreted as stone-cold heartlessness.

Medical science explains there are several ways that emotional numbness can occur. Stress hormones can flood our systems, and cause different reactions within the body that can lead to emotional numbness.

For example, stress hormones can affect the limbic system, located near the center of our brain, which is responsible for our emotions.

Stress hormones can also affect other hormones in our body, which in turn can affect our mood. Both effects can cause us to feel numb.

A couple of weeks ago, my husband’s friend, multi-awarded tenor Dondi Ong, passed away. This sad event was followed by the demise of a beloved church mate, tenor Butch Espinosa. The harvest of these men for the heavenly choir seemed like an open casting that nobody expected.

Last December my former mentor and boss Melchor Morales passed away, and despite my intention to write a tribute to honor him, the words just seemed stuck at the tip of my pen.

This kind of writer’s block is described by Shannon Ashley in The Writer’s Cooperative as “worse than a crapshoot!” (Pardon the expletive.)

We have all been through that phase where we are STUCK big time. I know that there is “a river of words” somewhere inside me being stirred like a witch’s cauldron that threatens to overflow and spill out all the frustration, brokenness, sadness, fury, and loss that I felt (along with many others) since the pandemic began in March 2020.

But these thoughts and words somehow needed more coaxing, painful prying, and perhaps a bold and conscious effort to reach down and grab the rawest of emotions that had never been exposed before in my entire life.

I grew up independent. When you are sent to study elsewhere at a very young age without your parents, and with two younger sisters in tow, you develop a heightened sense of independence, and hone your planning and survival skills pretty fast.

As a wife, mother, grandmother, business owner and employer, I realize that juggling many roles for so many years was only possible by God’s grace, personal sheer tenacity, and hard work.

Life teaches you to think quickly on your feet, and you get used to making decisions that impact on others.

Then suddenly out of nowhere, fate cruelly deals you with a big blow like CoViD-19, which blinds you and trusses you up like a sheep to the slaughter.

Camp CoViD is certainly no three-day girl scout camping trip where one learns basic survival skills like tying knots and learning first aid.

We are now facing life at its most challenging and scariest, and it did not come with a HOW-TO manual! There was no map or directions on how to navigate the murky and treacherous CoViD waters.

And just when things seemed brighter, and cases were down before the holidays, BAM! — CoViD and its mutated in-bred cousins began spreading their insidious torment to push the numbers to an all-time high!

Now the numbers seem to be going down again BUT knowing how fickle people are, and the human propensity to slack off on safety protocols once things start to improve, I would not be surprised that we are just riding on the crest of a waning wave until the next one rolls in.

This kind of emotional roller coaster takes a very heavy toll on our mental health, and by the looks of it, we would need to live with CoViD for some time to come.

More and more of us are making huge changes to our daily routines, such as coping with the new realities of working from home, temporary unemployment, home-schooling of children, and lack of physical contact with other family members, friends, and colleagues.

Adapting to lifestyle changes such as these, and managing the fear of contracting the virus, and worry about people close to us who are particularly vulnerable are daily challenges for all of us.

Here are tips and useful advice:

Keep informed. Listen to advice and recommendations from your national and local authorities. Follow trusted news channels, such as local and national TV and radio, and keep up-to-date with the latest news.

Have a routine. Keep up with daily routines as far as possible, or make new ones.  

– Get up and go to bed at similar times every day.

– Keep up with personal hygiene.

– Eat healthy meals at regular times.

– Exercise regularly.

– Allocate time for working, and time for resting.

– Make time for doing things you enjoy.

Minimize newsfeeds. Try to reduce how much you watch, read or listen to news that makes you feel anxious or distressed. Seek the latest information at specific times of the day, once or twice a day if needed. 

Social contact is important. If your movements are restricted, keep in regular contact with people close to you by telephone and online channels.

– Screen time. Be aware of how much time you spend in front of a screen every day. Make sure you take regular breaks from on-screen activities.

– Video games. While video games can be a way to relax, it can be tempting to spend much more time on them than usual when at home for long periods. Be sure to keep the right balance with off-line activities in your daily routine.

– Social media. Use your social media accounts to promote positive and hopeful stories. Correct misinformation wherever you see it.

Help others. If you are able to, offer support to people in your community who may need it, such as helping them with food shopping.

Support health workers. Take opportunities online or through your community to thank your country’s health-care workers and all those working to respond to CoViD-19. 

Don’t discriminate. Fear is a normal reaction in situations of uncertainty. But sometimes fear is expressed in ways which are hurtful to other people. Remember:  

– Be kind. Don’t discriminate against people because of your fears of the spread of CoViD-19. 

– Don’t discriminate against people who you think may have coronavirus.

– Don’t discriminate against health workers; they deserve our respect and gratitude.

– CoViD-19 has affected people from many countries. Don’t attribute it to any specific group.

If you are a parent. In times of stress, it is common for children to seek more of your attention. What you can do:

– Maintain familiar routines as much as possible, or create new ones, especially if you must stay at home.

– Discuss the new coronavirus with your children in an honest way, using age-appropriate language.

– Support your children with at-home learning, and make sure time is set aside for play.

– Help children find positive ways to express feelings such as fear and sadness. Sometimes engaging in a creative activity, such as playing or drawing, can help you with this process.

– Help children stay in contact with friends and family members through telephone and online channels.

– Make sure your children have time away from screens every day, and spend time doing off-line activities together. Do something creative: draw a picture, write a poem, build something.

– Bake a cake or pitch a tent. Sing or dance, or play in your garden, if you have one.

– Try and ensure that your children do not spend significantly more time than usual on video games.

If you are an older adult

– Keep in regular contact with loved ones, for example by telephone, e-mail, social media, or video conference.

– Keep regular routines and schedules as much as possible for eating, sleeping, and activities you enjoy.

-Learn simple daily physical exercises to do at home when in quarantine, so you can maintain mobility. 

If you have a mental health condition
– If you are currently being treated, make sure you continue to take medication as prescribed, particularly opioid medicines such as methadone or buprenorphine, and that you have a way of re-stocking your medication.

– Keep in touch with people who care for you, and know who you can contact for support, if your mental health declines.

– If you are receiving support through a psychologist or support group, find out how to continue that support during the outbreak.

Faith in a critical time
We are in need of faith during times of hardship. We seek God, cast our worries on Him, and rest on His Promises:

Deuteronomy 33:27. The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Psalm 34:17. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. 

Let me share a prayer written by Stephen Berkshire published by the Bible Society:

“Father God, we pray for those we know and love who have been impacted by this pandemic, our families, our communities, our children that all might know Your healing, strengthening, comfort and peace this day and always.”

(Back to MetroPost HOME PAGE)