We're all in this together never sounded more true. We literally are all in this together. No matter in what country you are or on which continent, this virus hit us all. And now the isolation came. More and more countries imposed restrictions, and asked people to isolate themselves at home. I have never in a million years thought this will be so hard to do. All we are required to do is to stay home, and if you are anything like me, you are already going through panic attacks, eating through your fridge and pantry, and moving from on room to another, from the bed to the floor, and so on.
Remember those times when you were saying that you wished to have more time to stay at home with your family? When you were a bit upset that you didn't had time to read the book you bought so enthusiastically? When you just wished for a few days off to stay on the couch and not do anything all day long?
Well ... now you have the chance to do all these things that you were so bumped about not having the time for. You are free to do whatever you want for the following weeks.
So, why are we freaking out?
We're freaking out because, first of all, this wasn't our choice, it was imposed on us. And as any thing that it is forced, not chosen, you have a hard time accepting it and following it. Secondly, we don't know how to live outside an organized system. And creating our own isn't that easy. We associate home with free time. So, you act accordingly in your free time, on the duration that you've gotten used to. You can be flexible with a day or two, but anything more than that will create a discomfort.
Thirdly, we associate long periods of time of staying home with not having a job. If you're on leave, you're going in a vacation, you're not spending 30 days on the couch. Your brain is sending you into panic mode, because you perceive it as a failure, as not having a job. And, of course, to this it adds up the fear thoughts of when will you go back to work? If you will have a job to return to. If you will be able to pay your bills and cover your expenses. And many other similar thoughts.
See how easy it is to lose control of your mind here?
You're probably worrying about your family's health, especially if you have older relatives. You discover that the relation with other family members was better when you only had a specific amount of time to spend together, and this 24/7 situation is adding stress to an already not easy situation.
So, what can you do?
1. First, take it easy. Take it one day at a time. One hour at a time. And if you have to, even one minute at a time. Anything rushed will cause anxiety and panic attacks. So, take it slow. There is nothing rushing you.
2. Schedule the whole day ahead, or set the next step as you go. See what works for you, but try to have a schedule.
- If thinking that you have a whole day in front of you and you have no idea what to do with it, give you anxiety, stop thinking of it like this, and start thinking of what you want to do next. Maybe get a cup of coffee, or call a friend, watch a movie, wash your laundry, or just spend time petting your pet.
- If, on the other hand, you usually need to have it all laid down step-by-step from dawn till dusk, then do that. The beginning of your day shouldn't add more stress. It should calm it and give you a peaceful start.
3. Exercise. Even if you are at home, and you don't feel like it, exercise. This will not only help you physically, but also mentally.
-There are plenty of workout videos and teachers online. See what works for you and do it. Again, even if you don't feel like it in the beginning. It will come to you. You'll see.
- every doctor, fitness coach and nutritionist will tell you that body movement helps fight against anxiety, panic attacks and even depression. So, keep moving. Yoga, Pilates, aerobics, dancing ... whatever it is that you find pleasure in, do that. This should bring you joy, not stress you even more.
4. Stay connected, but don't over do it. Keep in touch with social media, funny posts, friends ... but don't spend all day doing just that. You need a schedule, remember? :)
- social media can be a great place to find comfort in during a time when you can have physical contact with people, but, at the same time, spending too much time in front of the screen, scrolling, can affect your mind. Your eyes and brain gets tired and that will soon translate into anxiety and panic attacks, without mentioning that reading all day fake news or real, but bad news, about everything that is happening, is not good for your mental state.
5. Do chores. Allocate some time washing dishes, cleaning, dusting, doing laundry, ironing, cleaning closets, etc ... It keeps yourself and your mind busy. Plus, you can do that thorough cleaning you've always said you would do it so amazingly if you'd only had the time. Well ... now you have it. That time was granted to you. Use it :)
6. Take time for yourself. This is so important that I would write it in capital letters. Read, watch a movie, do your nails, take that long bath, try a new make up ... do something that you absolutely enjoy.
- when you do things for yourself, you start feeling good. When you feel good, you tend to forget about the things that stress you out. There for, you can fight with anxiety and panic attack just by choosing to have your "you time"
7. Eat healthy. I know you think about all those unhealthy stuff you bought. I know you think you can hear them calling you 😁 Don't be sorry you bought them. You should have bought them. But you don't have to eat them all in one day. They are there. They're not going anywhere. No one is going to take them away from you. And if they do, you can go to the store and buy more. Don't obsess over it. Your mind is playing tricks on you, and you eat because you are bored, confused, scared, sad, happy, you have a panic attack, you replace other things with food ... whichever might be the reason, eating all your snacks in one go won't help you feel any better. TRUST ME.
- I suggest you keep a notepad on the living room table - here is where you'll consume the larger portion of your snacks - and write down everything you are eating, either it is a proper meal, snack, or fruits and vegetables. Write them down one under another, also counting them. If the list gets too long and you still feel like chewing something, ask yourself if you are truly hungry or craving that, or if you are replacing it with something else.
- the best thing to do to stop you from going through the entire pantry is to keep yourself busy. Do chores, work, dance, sing ...
- keep your hands busy. If you are using your hands for something, you won't be able to eat :)
- also, keep in mind that unhealthy foods amplifies the bad feelings. ALWAYS. If you want to keep up your levels of optimism, and generally have a better mood, choose healthier foods and snacks.
8. Reach out. There is a chance that even if you are trying your best to keep yourself busy, to still experience panic attacks. The bets thing that you can do during those times is to reach out.
- if you have a psychologist you're usually visiting, call them, and ask for assistance through phone or skype.
- if you don't have someone who is offering professional help, and you are home alone, call a relative or a friend, someone that you feel comfortable talking too, and whom probably helped you in the past while going through a panic attack. Tell them what is going on, and ask them to talk to you about anything. Switching from the "danger" your mind thinks you are in, to a peaceful, funny conversation, will help you calm down.
- if the matter is urgent and you feel you are spiraling down, ask a member of the family to hold you really tight in their arms for a few minutes. This will help your nervous system calm down. If you have no one around you, put your back against the wall, or lay down on the floor, and hold yourself with your arms around you really tight, while imagining there is someone else doing it. This can also trick your mind into thinking someone else is holing you
- there are a lot of countries that are offering free support on special phone numbers created specifically for this current crises. Look online and see what is the phone number in the country you are from, and call them. They will know how to help you calm down your anxiety and panic attacks
This thing won't last. I know how bad it seems right now, how hard it is because you worry a lot, and you have to do something forced, not by your own choice, but it will pass. Everything will get back to normal. If we follow these rules and we stay in, everything will be over much faster, and we can go back to our normal lives.
Take care of yourselves. And take care of the people around you. Make sure you get out of this with your family intact. So, if they say you shouldn't have direct contact with your older relatives, even if you miss them, or if you just want to send your kids to see them ... listen to their advice and protect your parents or grand parents. If a young adult gets the virus, chances are way higher for that adult to recover, rather than it would be for an older person or an infant.
The more we comply to the rules, to faster we can all get out of this situation.
Stay safe! And keep the people around you safe 💓
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