AMITA Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital issued the following announcement on Nov. 7.
I know, you’re tired of COVID-19. I’m tired of it, too. For months, we’ve all had to deal with the constant threat of illness, layoffs and deaths while being denied our typical coping methods (social gatherings, eating out, going to the movies or amusement parks). It’s led to a widespread emotional exhaustion that now has a name: "COVID fatigue."
COVID fatigue hurts more than our mental health. It puts our physical health at risk, too. COVID fatigue causes us to get sloppy about the precautions we know we should take (washing hands, wearing masks, maintaining physical distance). As we enter the coldest months of the year and a second surge in COVID-19 cases, we can’t afford to let our guard down.
What Is COVID Fatigue?
Like any stressor, COVID-19 causes our bodies to respond with what is known as the fight-or-flight response (which despite the name is four possible responses):
Fight (resist the threat)
Flight (evade the threat)
Freeze (become paralyzed in the face of the threat)
Faun (give in to the threat)
Most stresses are not supposed to be long-term or permanent. The stressor triggers our fight-or-flight response and then we use a variety of coping skills to calm ourselves down when the stressor is over. But COVID-19 is not giving us that break. We’re just not prepared to handle a stress that goes on this long. As a result, we’re increasingly freezing or fauning, which often manifests as COVID fatigue.
Overcoming COVID Fatigue
As hard as this emotional fatigue has been, it’s fallen doubly hard on people who are coping with mental illness. It even affects us therapists. Not only are we dealing with our own worries, lost vacations and difficulties balancing work and home, but we are also taking on the stresses of our clients.
Virtual therapy using Zoom has given me a much-needed way to keep my clients on track and cared for, even with the added burden of COVID fatigue. And though it’s helped the AMITA Health Center for Mental Health reach those who may have been resistant to therapy, I do sometimes miss the more personal connection that comes with meeting someone in person.
If you'd like to try virtual therapy, call 855.383.2224 or find an AMITA Health therapist offering virtual care
Meeting my new clients is what I’m looking forward to the most when this is all over. You sometimes must look hard for the silver linings, for the thing that anchors you, in order to cope with COVID fatigue. For me, those are my friends, my family, my guide dog, Dungeons & Dragons and some amazing books. Some coping strategies to consider for yourself might include:
Exercise
Exercise is one of the best ways to release the energy that builds up from stress and worry, which helps us avoid making mistakes or having emotional outbursts. It also releases endorphins that make us feel better.
Luckily, you can get the exercise you need even if you don’t feel safe going to the gym (or are still waiting for those dumbbells to be delivered). Take a walk through the park or your neighborhood. Do floor exercises to a YouTube video. Play with your kids outside. Even taking longer routes through stores or parking farther from your destination makes a difference.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is cultivating an awareness of the present moment. It can be as simple as stopping and focusing on the task at hand, or on the natural world around you, or on your own breathing. Redirecting your focus to the now helps dispel anxiety about the future. It can also help you stay safe. Try making a mindfulness exercise out of washing your hands or listening to the sound your breath makes when wearing a mask.
Express Yourself
“Processing” is a word that therapists use to describe the act of expressing your feelings and emotions. By sharing how we’re feeling — whether through talk, writing in a journal, playing a musical instrument — we release the worry and stress that we’ve been holding in before it builds up to a traumatic level.
Watch What You Are Watching
Staying informed is important but inundating yourself with information can add to your COVID fatigue. Consider limiting yourself to a few trustworthy news sources, as well as how much time per day you spend consuming the news. Be especially mindful of social media, which can easily spread disinformation and content specifically designed to upset you.
Stay Physically Distant, Not Socially Distant
Use technology to stay in touch with friends and family while keeping a safe physical distance. Attend virtual Meetup meetings. Join groups online. Even though it may not be a substitute for the real thing, it’s more important than ever that we stay socially connected.
Original source can be found here.
Source: AMITA Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital
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