Im feeling 6 million different things.
Each new session, I bring with me the baggage of a week that felt like a year.
Does it make me a bad person to think Y?
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There are so many more things draining us than things fortifying us right now, says Howes.
Thats a recipe for burnout right there.
Therapists are hearing all this and more, especially fromessential workersstuck in impossible situations without the support they need.
Youre…surprisingly calm.
But according to multiple therapists I talked to, a sense of calm is a pretty common reaction.
Similarly, your past experiences might have trained you to act calm in crisis.
Youre spiraling about what might happen.
I have been hearing people worrying about running out of food or supplies.
People are afraid that they will lose their homes or cars due to being out of work.
The list goes on.
Youre struggling with working from home.
Youre mourning canceled events.
Youre yo-yoing between hopefulness and hopelessness.
Do I feel hopeful or hopeless?
Youre craving a freaking hug, damn it.
We are witnessing the importance of community and the power of…physical interaction in its absence.
Youre stuck and unsure.
In a lot of ways, the pandemic is forcing us to stay frozen in time.
Even if the pandemic didnt disrupt anything major, future planning can still feel off the table.
Youre guilty about your relative safety, security, or privilege.
Youre deep in some existential regret.
And not necessarily in the traditional sense.
But you might be grieving the loss of many things in your life right now.
This can be true for anyone, but especially those in communities especially affected by COVID-19.
Youre feeling inadequate about your productivity.
There is also pressure to learn languages, take courses, master finances, and do all the things.
Productivity porn is very loud right now.
Unfortunately, much of that focus must be shifted to surviving right now.
Be kind to yourself as we shift andrefuse to be guiltyfor not being productive.
Youre in over your head with your kids.
Youre dealing with a resurgence of unrelated past trauma.
But thats actually our brains functioning as designed,Ryan M. Sheade, L.C.S.W., tells SELF.
So whatever is coming up for you right now, treat yourself with compassion.
Thats to be expected too.
Even in the most chaotic of times, its impossible to be on emotional high alert 24/7.
I think of it in terms of adrenaline, says Howes.
Same goes for emotions, especially the longer this goes on.
Youre feeling something else entirely.
If I covered it all, this article would be 10 times this length, minimum.
Remember that the impact this has on you is still valid and real.
