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More and more lately, I’ve been hearing about people’s trauma responses from the pandemic. The folks who are tired no matter how much rest they get, or those who can’t relax despite having more time to do so than ever, or you have the people who are literally scared all day, everyday that they or someone they love is going to get sick and die. These are all symptoms of traumatization from the coronavirus.
The truth is we’re all going to be impacted by this pandemic but the steps we take today can help us to increase our resilience and decrease any negative consequences we might otherwise face from the trauma down the line.
I think we can safely establish that this pandemic qualifies as a trauma which, as a working definition, we’ll describe as any event that is so distressing that it overwhelms our capacity to manage. We all experience traumas throughout our lives but not all of us experience the symptoms of being traumatized. So what differentiates the traumas that negatively impact people form the ones who don’t? There’s a few factors to consider.
The first factor is any person’s history of trauma. Having past trauma makes you more likely to experience another trauma AND more vulnerable to the affects of future trauma. It’s like a snowball rolling downhill, picking up steam as it goes.
Another factor that increases the likelihood of traumatization is your ability to manage or mitigate the negative impact that the trauma causes in your life. The greater confidence you feel in your ability to manage whatever is going on, the less likely you’ll have negative symptoms. With coronavirus, I think we all feel overwhelmed to a point but those of us who might be struggling with things like loss of income, overwhelming responsibilities, or other complicating factors will struggle more.
Lastly, another factor to consider is the length of the trauma. Traumas that go on for a long time are more generally more traumatizing than traumas of short duration (there’s a lot of factors to consider though and this is just one.) Coronavirus has been going on for almost a year now (it feels like yesterday and 20 years ago all at the same time) and we really have no firm date for when it will end.
I say all this to say, coronavirus presents us with an elevated risk of traumatization, especially if we’re dealing with other stressors that feel overwhelming like financial problems, balancing work with virtual schooling, or other illnesses that complicate our day to day life.
The good news is, as I mentioned before, there are a lot of things you can start doing NOW to help prevent the negative symptoms of trauma. Here’s three things to get you started.
1. Get into a holistic self-care routine.
This pandemic is a great opportunity for improved self-care, and I’m not talking just facials or manicures. A holistic self-care routine will address the major areas of your life including exercise, nutrition, social relationships, work, financial health, relaxation/mindfulness, spirituality, and fun/play.
A good place to start is to assess your self-care strengths and your areas of growth. You’re already doing a lot right and can build on that to start addressing the areas where you might need more work. It’s also good to try and suspend judgement or shame of yourself when doing this exercise as that only impedes future growth. Intentionally say loving things to yourself and about yourself in this process.
2. Get help in whatever ways you need it.
WE ALL NEED HELP IN THE PANDEMIC. Yes, even those of you who never need anyone’s help. As we’ve already established, this is overwhelming for everyone and anyone.
One silver lining in the pandemic is all the help that’s available for people whether that’s food assistance, unemployment (even though it’s a pain), eviction prevention, or mental health care. There is a lot of help available right now.
But also, don’t be afraid to reach out to your social support network for emotional support either. This type of support is critical to preventing traumatization and increasing our quality of life.
3. Find meaning in the nonsense.
My favorite quote ever is “I never lose. I either win or learn.” This is the heart of existential therapy which encourages us to find meaning in our suffering as a way to overcome. This has been one of my primary coping skills for the past 20 years and has never steered me wrong. (If you’d like more on existentialism, a great read is A Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl.)
The answer to this will be different for each of us depending on our strengths, where we are in life, and what we need to move forward. The key is to spend some time reflecting on how you can best use this experience for your own benefit. Maybe that’s starting a business or spending more quality time with your kids. Or maybe it’s just resting and giving yourself time and space. The point is to focus on something that will benefit you instead of sitting in an endless cycle of worry, rumination, and dread.
The more you can focus on what you CAN do, instead of spinning your wheels thinking of what you can’t, the better you’ll be. There’s no way to come out of this pandemic unaffected but we can mitigate any negative symptoms from PTSD and rest in the knowledge that we did the best we knew how.
Leave a comment below about what you’re going to start doing this week to help you mange pandemic stress in a healthy way.
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