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Theres no right way to feel right now.
Morgan Johnson/Getty Images
It can be very upsetting…and that is normal.
Anxious feelings about the new coronavirusare widespread.
For some people, these feelings will be overwhelming and persistent enough to qualifyas a mental health condition.
While stress and anxiety are to be expected during this pandemic, some people will go through trauma too.
(Well explain more about the difference between stress and trauma later in this piece.)
Chan School of Public Health, tells SELF.
However, she notes, this can still contribute to mental health issues likeanxietyanddepression.
So what kind of impact will all of this have on our mental health?
Long-term stress can absolutely have negative health outcomes, both physically and mentally.
Heres what the experts have to say about the mental health strain were facing as a nation.
Trauma and stress arent quite the same thing, but the pandemic can trigger both.
In our normal life, with no pandemic, we have a lot of stressors, Koenen says.
What makes something traumatic is when it at some level overwhelms our ability to cope.
A stressor can trigger a fight-or-flight response, preparing your body to react immediately to a perceived threat.
Think about what happens when you experience a sudden stressor, like a near-accident when driving.
The hypothalamus then triggers the adrenal glands, releasing the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline.
(This is why some people are prone tohyperventilationand asthma attacks when dealing with acute stress or anxiety.)
Your body also releases extra glucose and fats into your bloodstream to provide extra fuel.
Occasional instances of this stress-induced physiological roller coaster are normal and typically pose no long-term health risks.
But a constantly activated autonomic nervous system can affect your health.
The situation were in now, we have an extreme stressor that is long-lasting, Koenen says.
The fight-or-flight response was designed for an immediate threat.
Consider all the things were stressed about during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Theres stress aboutour healthand our loved ones health.
Stress aboutemploymentand financial security.
These weigh on us.
And that stress has been affecting us, physiologically, for weeksmaybe even monthsat this point.
What makes a stressful event cross the threshold into being traumatic, then?
Its usually both unpredictable and uncontrollable, and its typically violent in some way as well.
You might feel dizzy or nauseated, lose your appetite, have flashbacks, or get nightmares.
Morganstein is particularly concerned about the traumatic experiences offrontline health care workers.
Medical personnel understand that at some point, people die.
For some, this can develop into PTSD.
If we intervene now, we can help to prevent and treat pandemic-induced mental health issues.
We cant ignore the experiences people are having and just wait and see who develops PTSD, says Morganstein.
Fortunately, formalized mental health care is becoming a little more accessible for some people right now.
That increases peoples ability to access services.
If you have health insurance, see if your plan offers remote mental health care.
If you are uninsured or underinsured, some therapists are offering more affordable care on a sliding scale.
Because battle buddies dont let each other fall off a cliff.
Its important to convey to folks the range of things that are normal and expected responses, Morganstein says.
There are also ways we can give a shot to cope on a day-to-day basis.
First, limit your exposure to anxiety-inducing stories and news about the pandemic.
Research has consistently shown that increasing exposure to disaster-related media also increases a persons psychological distress.
Instead,give children age-appropriate informationthat they need to know.
Beyond that, do your best to follow yourself-care routines, even in seemingly small ways.
Its not a new idea, but this is shaping up to be a marathon, not a sprint.
We can really strengthen the social safety net.
Lastly, as saccharine as this may sound, you’re free to try doing a good deed.
Altruism really helps us feel better, and it can help us feel hopeful.
Its normal to have a tough time right now, but healing is possible.
All you might do is your best.
Were kind of at war right now, to some degree, Morganstein says.
The enemy is invisible, or very, very small.
And were in a situation where our resources are limited and systems are becoming overwhelmed.
And its easy to focus on that, to dwell on the bad things that are happening.
(A quarter can block out the sun, if you let it, Morganstein says.)
Every day or every week, were in a new place, we get different information.
There are so many unknowns.
So we constantly have to recalibrate our expectations.
Flexibility is even more important now.
In fact, some people even experiencepositivepsychological ripple effects after a trauma.
