Shelter in Place Issues in Chesterfield, VA
It’s no secret that the coronavirus pandemic has caused illness, fear and anxiety. Many countries were caught off guard regarding how quickly it spread. Luckily, there are now many states and countries that are asking citizens to stay home, and using phrases such as “shelter in place” regarding overall movement. The idea here is that individuals should only leave their home for emergencies, so that the pandemic does not spread wildly.
Of course, this can take its toll on the mental health of many people. You might be used to going to your local gym, interacting with neighbors, or going out to eat at your favorite restaurant or stopping by a local bar for a happy hour.
These options simply aren’t possible under a “shelter in place” order. What if you are someone that already suffers from anxiety and/or depression? The fact that you have to stay at home might only make your situation worse, and you might feel as though there’s nothing you can do. Luckily, Thriveworks Chesterfield counselors are here to make sure that you make it through your “shelter in place” order in a healthy way.
Remain Social Thanks To Technology
Technology is incredible, and it has forever changed the way that human beings interact with each other. You might not be able to hug your friends or grab a beer with them, but why not make a Facetime or Skype call to make sure that you are still keeping the lines of communication open? It doesn’t matter whether it’s video calls with family, friends, or neighbors, you should check up on those that you care about.
Let’s say that you own a business and are used to a social hour, where your employees can enjoy themselves and discuss their thoughts on how business is going. Why not continue the tradition, but with a “virtual social hour”, where you can still see your co-workers through video chat applications, like Zoom, for example. You might not be going outside nearly as much as you used to, but you can still communicate with people thanks to modern technology.
If your work uses communication tools like Slack, you can still make small talk or vent with co-workers in certain channels, or share music playlists to keep your co-workers inspired. It might not be the same as cracking jokes around the water cooler, but you can still feel like you are being social with your colleagues.
Entertain What You Never Had Time For
There are many people that might make a list of things that they want to do, even though their personal and/or professional life gets in the way. There are all sorts of things that might be on this list. First of all, you may have made a list of books that you always wanted to read but never had the time to – so why not start now? Of course, this doesn’t have to be books. You might have wanted to watch TV shows, listen to podcasts, or try your hand at cooking some new dishes.
This is also a great opportunity for some family activities, as well. You may not have had the time to play board games with your family, so why not break out the games now? It doesn’t matter whether it involves a movie night, or simply strengthening communication: the right family meeting can go a long way. Of course, you can also contact Thriveworks counselors to strengthen your relationship with your significant other during this time, as well.
Think About Your Health
There are many drawbacks when it comes to a shelter in place, but you can take steps to make sure that your physical and mental health remains intact. First and foremost, you should take this opportunity to get as much sleep as possible. Let’s say that you are a young professional that has worked long hours, or had an hour commute to your workplace. You might want to go out of your way to make sure that you get the right amount of sleep during your shelter in place, and you may find that it makes you more productive than ever before.
Of course, you should also stay physically fit during your shelter in place. There’s a good chance that you are saving a significant amount of money on gas, or eating out. Why not use that money to purchase some weights or an exercise bike? You might be in the house, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t exercise regularly.
Thriveworks Chesterfield counselors understand that a shelter in place can be quite a shock to many people, their routines, and the way that they live their lives. You should consider speaking with a Thriveworks counselor regarding ways that you can adjust to a shelter in place. To make an appointment with a Thriveworks Chesterfield therapist for online counseling call (804) 419-4122 today.
Grieving The Loss Of Routine
People all around the world rely on a daily routine to make sure that they remain as productive as possible. This might involve getting a coffee from a specific coffeeshop, hitting up the gym at a specific hour, and/or scheduling meetings throughout the day to make sure that goals are achieved. Of course, coronavirus has interrupted these daily routines and many can feel lost at the fact that their routines have been disrupted.
It’s easy to understand how it can be difficult for people to adjust to their new life, which has changed dramatically thanks to social distancing and self-isolation. You might be missing the physical intimacy of a friend’s hug, or even self-quarantining from your own family because you feel like you have certain symptoms. Thriveworks Short Pump counselors can help you cope with the fact that your routine has changed, and help you adjust accordingly.
Accept The Changes
There’s nothing wrong with focusing on your family – it’s extremely natural. However, it’s also important to remember that this routine change is necessary for the greater good, and that being selfish could cause harm to others. You might WANT to go out for a jog, or leave the house for something other than emergencies, but you would do better to accept the fact that there’s a global pandemic.
Of course, you might also be dealing with much more. You might have a family member that passed away because of the coronavirus, and have to grieve without actually attending a funeral. You might also feel restless about the fact that the stock market is volatile, and wondering about your financial stability. While it can be difficult, Thriveworks Short Pump counselors can work with you to accept and embrace reality as we know it.
If you are willing to accept that your routine has changed, you might not want to read/absorb information about coronavirus 24/7. You might find that it affects your mental health.
Take Time To Vent
It can be extremely unhealthy for you to bottle up all your feelings, so there’s nothing wrong with venting over FaceTime to close family and/or friends. That’s what they are there for! You might even consider writing down your thoughts in a personal journal, or starting up a blog venting about the way that you feel the pandemic is being handled, or how it’s affecting your personal/professional life.
It doesn’t matter whether you decide to write a short Ebook, or some new poetry – you might find that this helps you deal with the fact that you’ve been forced to abandon some of your favorite aspects of your daily routine. You should do everything you can to make sure that your voice is heard during this time, and it will help you and your loved ones stay emotionally healthy. There’s nothing wrong with accepting these confusing emotions, and it’s the only way to eventually move past them.
Revisit Hobbies
You might’ve never had time to explore an artistic hobby that you abandoned a while ago, whether it’s playing an instrument, drawing, painting, or something else. Why not revisit this hobby during this time?
You might find that expressing yourself can go a long way towards coping with how much your daily routine has altered. If this isn’t your speed, consider downloading new apps, watching movies, or playing games to take your mind off current events for a little bit.
Make New Routines
Routines can help human beings feel fulfilled, so why not establish some new routines? Sure, you might not be able to do everything that you would normally do. You might not be able to go to your weekly spin class, or meet up with your friend for dinner on a Friday night. However, you can still make routines for work, schooling, family meals and more. If you can stick to these routines, you might find that it gives you some comfort.
You might not have been able to predict a global pandemic, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t adjust to the circumstances. Sure, if you Facetime a friend while you are both eating dinner – it isn’t the same as lounging at your local diner- but maintaining that routine, to some extent, can go a long way towards helping you deal with COVID-19.
Thriveworks Chesterfield counselors understand that there are many people that have fallen in love with their routines, only to have them destroyed in the wake of the coronavirus. There are also many others that are struggling to find peace of mind amidst death and/or financial loss. We are here to help you work through those issues, no matter how difficult you find them to be.
To make an appointment with a Thriveworks Chesterfield therapist for online counseling call (804) 419-4122 today.