Tips from Dr. Falon on How to Deal with Miss Rona (AKA COVID-19)

If you’re like me, you’re probably sick of hearing people use phrases like “unprecedented times,” and “new reality,” I seriously want to scream when I hear people use these phrases over and over! I don’t like to be constantly reminded that our current reality is different and unlike anything the current generations have ever experienced. I’m here, I’m living it. No need for the reminder.

Also if you’re like me, you find yourself getting angry and annoyed at trivial things (like overly used phrases). Things that wouldn’t have necessarily upset me pre-COVID. Living and working through COVID-19 has been stressful, traumatic and defeating in ways that I could write several pages about. For you, if you’ve been working on the frontlines of the healthcare system, I want you to know that I see you, I appreciate you, and I think of you daily. I also know that you’re exhausted, scared, and maybe having trouble making sense of your emotions and reactions to the last several months. It is okay. And if you’re not working on the frontlines but still in healthcare, you also may be feeling similar to those on the frontline and feel guilty for that. Don’t! You’re allowed to feel angry, scared, and anxious or whatever emotions you have. You may have had to make some tough decisions, lost patients and feel like you’re going to war daily. There is a good chance you’ve probably had the virus yourself or lost someone you cared about to the virus. And on top of that, your life likely hasn’t stopped… you still are needed as a parent, a spouse, needed to care for an elderly family member, are in school or have other major life responsibilities. When you think about all of these things, it’s overwhelming! Again, whatever you’re feeling right now…IT IS OKAY.

I’ve been working in quarantine for almost 60 days now and working at a University and supporting the operational and human elements of my job in utter chaos has taken a toll. I will not deny that. I have dark circles under my eyes and my sleep cycle is the worst it’s ever been and I’ve always been a great sleeper. I thought that I was resilient and had all of the coping skills and tools I’ve ever needed to get through stressful times in life….and I was wrong. Which is also OKAY. Regardless of what you’re doing in life right now and how you’re experiencing a WORLD PANDEMIC (it can be easy to forget the whole world is experiencing this when you are in isolation), it is okay to feel less productive, sad, angry, anxious, tired, forgetful, sluggish, confused, foggy, stagnant, depressed, out of control …I could go and on. I want to also note that it is okay to be HAPPY during this time. Maybe you recently met the love of your life, started a great new job, are using this time to clean out and organize your home….it is easy to also feel guilty about being happy during a crisis like this one, so know that being happy is okay too. For those of us who are struggling daily, here are some of the coping strategies I have used and heard others using during this time. Take them for what they may be worth to you and I encourage you to challenge yourself to try to do one new thing you’ve never done to soothe yourself during this time.

COVID-19 Coping Strategies:

· Think about what you can control and try to dedicate time to focusing on that. For me, it’s been cleaning out my closet, starting a new skincare routine and managing my email inbox!

· Schedule video chats with family and friends. I spend most of my day on the computer and on video calls for work, but chatting with my support systems really lifts my spirits!

· Give yourself permission that it is okay to not maintain your pre-COVID habits: i.e. gym workouts, eating habits, sleeping, etc. Eventually, you will want to work back into these routines but it’s okay for now. Seriously.

· Think about what brings you joy that you can do at home or over video chats with family and friends. For me, I love learning, so I’ve been practicing my Spanish with an app on my phone!

· Don’t be afraid to reach out to your support systems and lean on them. We naturally do this when we are used to being out and about and you may not realize how much less you are interacting with those that are close to you, even those that may not live in the same city. Talking with colleagues in my profession who are going through this too has been instrumental to coping with COVID.

· Be kind to others and most importantly, to yourself. You may be beating yourself up for little things, like letting the laundry pile up even though you’ve been home more than ever. No one is judging you for not staying on top of the laundry except for you. Be kind to yourself!

· Treat yourself! If you’re able, buy yourself something you’ve been eyeing, buy ice cream when you order groceries. There are lots of great sales right now and Ben and Jerry’s is my fave

· As always, there are the standard coping mechanisms that most of us know, reading, watching TV, being outside, exercising, meditating, listening to music and podcasts and journaling. If any of these work for you, continue to do that. If you haven’t tried one of these, I encourage you to explore these too!

And if you find yourself wanting to talk to someone about how COVID-19 has and is impacting your life, we’re here to help. We get it, we’re in it and we want to help you and other nurses process how COVID has either temporarily or permanently changed your life. Stay safe and well.

See you next time,

Dr. Falon Nicole