Protecting Your Mental Health During Trauma
We are in the middle of a worldwide trauma.
COVID-19 is scary. It's a trauma we're all going through. (Not to mention all the other global traumas that are happening right now…)
I certainly don't want to amplify this fear...but I do want to acknowledge that reality is scary right now. It is downright traumatizing. Whether you name it as trauma for yourself or not. We are all impacted.
I see more "existential anxiety" showing up in my office. I'm spending more sessions talking about politics, climate change, & generalized FEAR. More of us are feeling unsafe & afraid.*
[*Much of this is not new to BIPOC, LGBTQ+ folx, & those in marginalized communities. That fear has been present for a long time, & it should have been named & changed a long-ass time ago. What I'm noticing, I think, is that those with privilege, myself included, are finally waking up to fear as well.]
Effects you may notice:
-overconsumption or avoidance of the news
-feeling unsafe in public
-trouble sleeping
-fear/dread about the future
-hopelessness
-suicidal thoughts
-rage
-distrust of other people
-helplessness
You are not alone.
Trauma leaves us feeling hopeless, powerless & overwhelmed.
Actions that might help:
-seeking safety & connection with those you love
-move your body, drink water, & try to get good sleep
-setting boundaries with the news
-having important conversations about the issues we're facing as a species
-BUILD COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION
-voting, donating, protesting, advocating, using your voice--whatever you can to do ACT about the issues you care about.
These actions help build hope and help you feel that you have some power (by focusing on what you can do to impact the future), as well as help regulate your nervous system. Not only are these ways that we can keep trauma from having massive lasting effects, they are also ways we can make the world a better, less scary place.
I don't have all (or really any) answers. I'm afraid, too, and trying to figure out how to navigate this. What I'm focusing on is staying connected to other people however I can; listening to fear ®ulating my nervous system.
I am here with you. I don't know. How are you dealing with things?