As of today, many parts of the United States and many countries, including Italy, India, Nepal, entered a lock down period due to the COVID-19 virus, and many have been going through quarantine. This global situation is causing significant stress in many people. From the news, a lot of information is circulating. Some is true but many of it may be misinformed or partially correct. To reduce daily stress, there are so many activities we can do. These activities include taking breaks from reading or watching the news regarding COVID-19. Instead, watch something enjoyable show like Watch feel good show, Tune in to nature or read a variety books or do some home yoga exercise. Just not about viruses. Another recommended action is to talk with others, whether it’s discussing your feelings on the coronavirus, or just a leisurely chat. CDC recommend for people concerned with the coronavirus is to maintain self-care. Eat healthy, exercise, get about eight hours of rest, and avoid alcohol and drugs. Increasing your vitamin C intake can boost your immune system, and you may find it helpful to meditate for at least three minutes per day. All of the above items can help if you’re feeling concerned about COVID19, or if you know someone who is concerned about COVID19, please share this article with them.
What are some signs someone is stressed about COVID19?
Children and adults may react differently when concerned about the coronavirus. For children, these symptoms include excessive irritation, anger, sadness, unhealthy eating, acting out, use of alcohol or drugs, avoiding activities, and returning to behaviors they have outgrown, such as bed-wetting or peeing in their pants. Adults may have similar symptoms, but these signs of stress may also manifest themselves in the form of hoarding, extreme cleanliness, and being more susceptible to misinformation or rumors regarding the coronavirus.
Even if your child isn’t behaving in any of the above manners, you should still talk to them about what they can do to prevent contracting COVID19, as well as ensure they have accurate information about what it does and what they should look for. There are many rumors flying around about COVID19, many of them false, and these rumors can stir up panic or even cause more people to contract it. Children are particularly susceptible to these rumors, as they may have a more difficult time telling fact from fiction, especially from someone that’s an adult.
For medical personnel on the frontlines of the COVID19 situation, the CDC recommends learning about and acknowledging the symptoms of secondary traumatic stress (STS), and for you/your family to recover from responding to the situation. They also detail taking a media break from news about the coronavirus, and practice self-care. If you feel overwhelmed or stressed, please, ask for help.
How can families and friends connect while social distancing is active?
Social distancing is a protocol essentially requiring everyone to maintain two meters of distance from each other. This is done to reduce the spread of germs, because when someone coughs or sneezes, the germs usually travel two meters, at most. In order to practice social distancing, you shouldn’t:
● Use public transportation like buses and trains
● Use ridesharing services like a taxi or Lyft
● Leave your home, unless it’s absolutely necessary. A good example of a necessary reason is if you need to visit the grocery store to purchase food.
● Have physical contact with friends and family members
● Go to public places like a movie theater, restaurant, or school. Movie theaters in some countries, including China, the U.S., India, Poland, and Lebanon, are completely shut down. For restaurants and delivery services, they are mitigating some of the financial stress and health risks of COVID19 by offering non-contact delivery. This has the delivery driver to leave the food at your door, and you pay through an online service or mobile app.
It’s also important to note that just because someone doesn’t look sick – it doesn’t mean they aren’t. Some people are asymptomatic to COVID19, which means that they don’t display noticeable symptoms or are otherwise affected by the virus, but can still spread it around just like any other infected person. If you feel yourself coming down with some of the symptoms of coronavirus, or believe that a loved one may be sick, please get tested. If your results are positive, please self-quarantine according to your government’s guidelines.
With social distancing requiring everyone to be six feet apart, many people have been taking to the virtual world to maintain social connections. Family members not living together can use video chat through services such as Facetime, Skype, and Google Hangouts. Children, teenagers, and adults can play a variety of games in order to add an extra dynamic to talking online. For children and teenagers, games such as Minecraft and Rocket League can provide a sense of competition and interaction that would otherwise be obtained in a non-social distancing world. Adults have a wider variety of games to play, including Call of Duty:Modern Warfare, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and NBA 2K20. There are a variety of mobile games that children, teenagers, and adults alike can enjoy. Whether it’s a classic such as Monopoly, or something newer like Pokemon Go, there’s something for everyone on the App Store (for iOS) and Play Store (for Android).
What can children do aside from spending time on a screen?
In this new world of screens, it’s important that children still spend time away from them. While they do need to be on a screen like meeting and conference in ZOOM for school, and some face time talk with their friends recommended so they can maintain social bond. In other hand, they should also spend time off the screen. These activities can include filling out a coloring book, playing pretend, going outdoors, or playing board games. What’s important is that your child is practicing social distancing, because while they may not be seriously harmed by catching COVID -19, they may spread it to higher-risk populations. This can take the form of their grandparents, their uncles, and aunts, or even their own parents.
I urge all of my readers to take to heart the information in this article.
Please stay safe, stay smart, and stay healthy. We will get through this health crisis!