Do you know that feeling when something completely unexpected sets you off?
Like a minor inconvenience pops up and suddenly it feels like the worst thing thats ever happened to you?
Thats kind of how this whole year has felt, to be honest.
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As a result, were all kind of getting emotionally pummeled.
Over and over and over.
If youve been feeling this way too, youre definitely not the only one.
Its kind of just…the experience of living through 2020.
All of that has an impact on our brains and our ability to deal.
The difference here is that we havent gotten to reset but everything keeps accumulating anyway.
It all makes sense but its also kind of a grim picture.
So what do we do?
Hopefully, some of the advice here can help, even if its by making you feel less alone.
Focus on getting enough sleep.
If youre going to prioritize one traditional self-care strategy right now, hey attempt to get somesleep.
It may seem like a small thing, but it impacts so much.
The less sleep we get, the more hypersensitive to threat we are, says Bonior.
We get more anxious.
We view things more negatively.
Its all an evolutionary response.
If youre not getting enough sleep, your body will view everything as a threat to protect you.
Start withthese tipson getting sleep despite pandemic anxiety.
Dont beat yourself up about how you should and shouldnt feel.
Like, what does getting used to something really mean, anyway?
Its like permanently having a rock in your shoe, says Bonior.
Socut yourself some slackif you find yourself thinking, Why do I still feel so bad?
Shouldnt I have it under control by now?
Now were at a disadvantage because our reserves depleted and dont have anything more to give.
Even a bit of bad news wed normally handle can feel like a crisis-level threat.
Interrupt your catastrophic thinking.
Catastrophic thinkingis typically defined by therapists as ruminating on worst-case scenarios.
The thing is, though, during these turbulent times, catastrophic thinking hits way closer to home.
Like, were living through a plague!
Some catastrophic thinking doesnt feel so catastrophic anymore!
Find anything that can interrupt your thinking, he says.
Take things one day at a time.
Which, easier said than done, I know.
Same goes for anything else youre spiraling out about.
Speaking of…
5.
Remember denial and distraction are okay tools sometimes.
Look, some days you just need to turn off the news and pretend everything is okay.
Denial is a defense mechanism for a reason, says Caraballo.
You just have to watch that you dont use it at the exclusion of other tools.
You want to be strategic, and you have to tune back in eventually.)
But also give yourself space to process whats going on.
That said, numbing out your feelings completely will backfire too, which is why balance is so important.
Eventually, when your defenses are down, those feelings will be like, Hello, here we are.
All those things you havent dealt with, all at once.
Also, never underestimate the power of a good cry.
Really go out of your way to notice good things.
Were just not primed for it right now, a result of yet another evolutionary response.
Our brains are trained to be on the alert for threats, says Bonior.
For the love of God, change your social media habits.
Its not exactly easy todelete the appsand never look back.
Carve out one moment a day where things cant go wrong.
Bonior suggests making a daily goal out of it.
It can be as little as five minutes a day, says Bonior.
Five minutes where you dont look at your phone, where you wont see catastrophes.
Five minutes where youre not going to do anything but lie in bed listening to music you love.
Or play with your pet or children.
Or try a guidedmeditation.
Or whatever that looks like for you.
