Gaining Certainty In Uncertain Times (13/06/2020): With children gradually restarting studying at school, parents generally are heaving a sign of relief. Balancing parental responsibilities, work responsibilities and working from home, and supporting their children with home schooling – has been a tough time for most parents.
However, this tough time is not going away any time soon. Questions continue to be asked. Will there be a vaccine for the coronavirus soon? Will there be a second wave of the virus? What will that look like? What will that mean for my job, for my children’s education? For my financial situation? My bills and my debts?
On one hand, we are faced with a torrent of questions. On the other hand, we are faced with an overload of information from every angle – from scientific medical research sources, to social media, politicians and economists.
Mixed with uncertainty comes a range of emotions from anger to disappointment and despair. The Black Lives Matter troubled us all – from those who marched to those who chose to show support online, to those who were outraged at the lack of vigilance around social distancing.
Usually as humans we can sort out anxiety and uncertainty. But this is different. Yes, usually we can resort to our natural instincts – our flight or fight dichotomy generally resolves itself through internal negotiation. But such intense feelings brought through the coronavirus pandemic is multidimensional and it leaves us in a quandary.
How do we deal with this?
Well we need to develop our unique ways of dealing with this uncertainly.
Just as the uncertainly is multidimensional so should our response be.
Use your own unique coping mechanism. What’s yours – these are some shared by friends and I share them with you:
- It could be taking breaks from watching, reading or listening to news articles and the social media.
- Accept that there will be a divergence of opinion and embrace the multidimensionality of the pandemic.
- Seek to separate the chaff from the grain so to speak. Understand the details of the situation and develop your own set of actions – from wearing a mask, to choosing safe areas to go out, or choose a mode of shopping that is least risky
- Pick up or make time for your favourite hobby
- Try to choose less risky ways of showing support, and in this way, you can escape your own stresses by making it a little bit better for others who are not as lucky as you are. And feel better for doing so.
- Manage anxiety and stress by diet, natural medicines along with conventional medicines.
If you need to talk through and learn how to cope and manage anxiety and stress naturally talk with our natural health practitioner.
In the meantime, let us remind ourselves to Keep safe and keep well.
And wash your hands
Practice physical distancing
Practice respiratory hygiene (i.e. coughing into your elbow or a tissue)
Stay at home if unwell and get tested
Download the COVIDsafe app
Keep up your effort and the efforts of our country to increase testing and containing the virus.
For you and your friends:- If you need additional emotional support, visit www.beyondblue.org.au
