Coping with the COVID Chaos
by Janie Rakow
What crazy times we are currently living in. A few short months ago, if there was a movie filmed about what is happening right now it would surely be considered science fiction. A global pandemic, extreme isolation, a shortage of food, hospitals understaffed… almost impossible to imagine.
But here we are, some of us alone in our houses or apartments, possibly filled with anxiety and fear. And that’s perfectly understandable. Never before in our lifetime have we had a global crisis like this. It’s okay to acknowledge these feelings, but we don’t have to hold on to them. That’s the key to coping with this extraordinary situation.
When the news first broke about this pandemic, I was glued to the TV and social media. I couldn’t get enough and searched through massive information to find reputable sources of news. It literally consumed my every day. I would start my morning tuning in to the media and finding out about the most recent update. What horror story would today bring? My day would end with more horrific news, and I’d fall asleep anxious and depressed.
With each passing day, the statistics worsened, and slowly my world started to shrink. The spouse of a hospice client pointed out to me that it was like a terminal diagnosis. First there’s disbelief that this can be happening to us. Then, our lives become more limited and we lose the sense of control we had over our own destiny. One day we can no longer congregate in groups of 250; soon after it’s 100; then 10; now it’s stay home with only immediate family.
Next, we are told to work from home, if possible. Currently, here in NJ, that is mandatory (unless you are in a few exempt businesses). No more eating in restaurants, just take out. Go food shopping only when necessary, and there are separate times when elders can shop without other people allowed in to the supermarket. As doulas, we are getting a firsthand glimpse into what life is like for our clients.
As a result of all these restrictions and losses I felt myself going down the rabbit hole, spiraling deeper into fear, even though I knew this was detrimental to me. By the second week of the Coronavirus turmoil, I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands. I knew I could choose to remain unbalanced and fearful, or I could make a shift. That is when I called upon my years of meditation, breathwork, and mindfulness to help me rebalance. These practices have far-reaching effects on physiological functioning and this makes them useful self-regulation tools.
One of my go-to gurus is Dawson Church, an epigenetics expert, and integrative health-care specialist. In one of his studies, participants used something called EcoMeditation, which combined meditation, Emotional Freedom Technique (tapping) and neurofeedback. The study concluded that those participants experienced significant decreases in psychological symptoms of anxiety, depression, and pain, and an increase in overall happiness.
Before the COVID- 19 epidemic, I sometimes put aside my daily practice of meditation. I told myself I was too busy, it could wait until tomorrow. Now, this practice is non-negotiable. So, I begin each day in silence. I sit for several minutes and do breathwork. I imagine breathing in through my heart slowly to the count of six and out to the count of six. I notice my internal dialogue. If fear creeps in, I consciously replace it with love. “Balance and wellbeing” is my new mantra.
I have also decided that I must limit my media exposure. Step one was to turn off my “breaking news” phone notifications because each minute there seemed to be breaking news. If there is something major happening, someone will alert me. Then, I limited my watching of news on TV. A media detox seemed mandatory for me, and it helped my state of mind tremendously.
An unknown author said adversity does not build character, it reveals it. I like to reflect on that idea. It has helped me to call upon my higher self. In times of hardship we also need to remember that we are all connected. So, as I choose to seek mindfulness and inner stability it impacts everyone around me.
We all need to remember that reaching out to friends, loved ones, and neighbors, performing acts of kindness, and being grateful also help us shift our mindset from fear to compassion. Right now, we need to do these things more than ever before. They help us, and all the people we are connected to, cope with the chaos we are living through.