Anxiety During These Times

Fear, uncertainty, and the reality of the current landscape is causing a notable emotional and psychological impact on our city and our country. The anxiety of having to live in fear of "what will come next" is interrupting our ability to exist in peace within ourselves and our families. During this time we have to recognize that we are living through a very real traumatic time and how we can cope and navigate through this time.

How do we understand trauma?

Trauma is best understood as the reaction that our body and mind have in response to an event or situation that affects our sense of safety and security. The symptoms of trauma can be any of the following:

Difficulty sleeping

Less daily energy or more daily exhaustion

Changes in or lower appetite

Nervousness and worrying about the future

Anxiety felt in the body (difficulty sitting still, difficulty relaxing, feeling panicked)

Nightmares

Intense feelings of fear

Hypervigilance

Strong reactions to daily situations that would not regularly elicit that reaction

Social isolation

What can we do about it?

● Learning to accept our emotional states without judgement: Fear, for example, is an emotion that many people like to avoid without understanding the value and power that it can have to help us. Fear exists to protect us from danger and is usually there to help us. Fear cannot predict the future but it can certainly tell us that some part of us does not feel safe and that it needs attention. We cannot let ourselves be taken over by fear, yet it is very important to listen to what it has to say.

● Talk about your emotions with people that are going to validate and respect your experience: Having such strong emotional responses to the world around us and keeping up with our daily responsibilities and expectations is exhausting. During this time it is incredibly necessary to have a support system of people who understand us and will not judge our feelings. Pay attention to how you feel after talking to someone. Do you feel calmer? Safer? More anxious or stressed?

● Finally, recognize your limints: Every person is going to need a different set of tools to face our current situation. During this time we must ask ourselves a number of guiding questions.

What do I need in this moment to feel more at ease? (rest, space, time, a walk etc.)

Who can I speak with to feel better?

What can I do to feel better?

What changes should I make right now to feel more at ease? (examples: taking social media breaks, staying informed but avoiding doom scrolling etc.)