stress is multifactorial

Everyone if feeling some form of stress, albeit some may be more stressed than others. The stress may be caused by physical concerns, especially for those who have pre-existing comorbidities, immunocompromised or infected with the virus.

The stress may be due to financial reasons as many people have lost their jobs or have been laid off and have no current source of income and are worried about upcoming bills. The stress may be spiritual as many find themselves looking for a higher meaning and answers to this pandemic.

Finally, the stress may be emotional as many people feel trapped inside or are dealing with the dawning reality that they have no control. Some may be dealing with a few of the above or a combination of all the above stressors.

So, how do you cope with stress when you probably have never experienced this type or intensity of stress before?

what you CAN do when some of your normal avenues of coping are unavailable

• Continue to read your bible
• Pray
• Meditate
• Talk to trusted friends and loved ones
• Share your concerns and worries with your therapist via virtual conferencing
• Exercise (if you can, burn off the tension with a good bout of cardio at home, jumping jacks, jump rope, stationary bike, etc.)
• While you may be physically quarantined, do not isolate yourself from friends and loved ones (reach out by text, phone calls, email, Skype, Face Time, Zoom, WhatsApp, or any other form of electronic communication that is available to you)
• Use this time to strengthen the bonds with your loved ones (play games with your children)
• Take your vitamins if you are not able to get a healthy mix of fruits and vegetables

• This is a good time to distract yourself with projects you have been putting off because you had no time
• This is also a good time to experiment with cooking if that is your thing
• Read books (many are available on audio, or re-read a book that you read years ago and always wanted to read again)
• Clean your home
• Re-arrange your closets and pack up unused clothes for those who may need them (Salvation Army, consignment shops, thrift shops, etc.)
• Learn something new (a foreign language, knitting, a musical instrument, etc.)
• Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol (especially for those who struggle with alcohol abuse) or drugs

• Don’t over-indulge in food (eat healthy portions and quality of foods)
• Get enough sleep (rest is very important for healing of the body)

This is a very troubling time for EVERYONE, you are not alone in your worry, so please reach out if you feel overwhelmed or extremely depressed, anxious or stressed.