Coping with Coronavirus

The Coronavirus pandemic represents a physical/medical health threat for everyone, but it is the mental health effect that will become the greatest challenge for most of us because our emotional reactions can have an impact that lasts far longer than the pandemic itself.

We are dealing with two issues – the virus itself and the emotions it generates. Currently most of our attention is on the virus itself and we are not paying nearly enough attention to the emotional impact of the pandemic, which is extremely concerning as EVERYONE is having some emotional reaction to the pandemic. Fear, anxiety, stress, anger, irritability, emotional exhaustion and sadness are just some of the reactions which are to be expected because the threat is real and we are having to make significant lifestyle changes.

Although the emotions are valid, the reality is that if we do not manage these emotional reactions we can end up with severe mental illness. Already we are seeing higher rates of depression, anxiety, insomnia and complicated grief. More and more people are complaining that they cannot focus, concentrate, problem-solve and/or make decisions. There is long-term risk for alcohol abuse, self-medication and long-lasting ‘avoidance’ behaviour. Domestic abuse is on the increase, there is loss of productivity, more burnout and alarmingly the suicide numbers are escalating. Mental health professionals are expecting all of these negative effects to get worse.

The good news, however, is that we can manage emotional reactions in ourselves and in others.  We can protect our mental health and we can reduce mental illness.  It’s all about education, awareness and implementing effective strategies and techniques. This needs to happen at home and in the workplace, at both an individual and at an organizational level. There are 7 key elements to consider and I have the resources here on my website to get you started:

7 Key Elements to Consider

Free resources for you to read and download:  Articles    Posters & Worksheets
Products and services for your organisation (contact me for details):  Talks    Courses & Workshops   Online Assessments

My talk, Beating C-19 like a Champion, introduces the 7 elements and how to work effectively with the resources listed below.  Find out more

1. Recognise the Emotional Impact

The emotional impact of Coronavirus is huge. It’s important to be able to recognise the signs and symptoms of mental illness in yourself and others and know what to do and not to do about it.

Uncertainty:  Circles of Control    Circles of Control    Destiny: Action or Accident?    Change Your Thinking…. Change Your Life!    Living in the Now    Pareto's Principle - The 80/20 Rule

Fear & Anxiety:  Axe Anxiety    Circles of Control   Circles of Control

Depression:  Defeating Depression    Managing Depression

Grief and Bereavement:  Survive Your Sorrow    Grief & Bereavement - Help for the Helpers

Suicide:  Suicide Sensitivity    Suicide and Depression

Anger:  Anger Management: Taming the Tiger!    Taming the Tiger    Temper Your Temper: Reducing Anger in the Workplace    Iceberg model    Getting to Know your Anger

Stress:  Stressed To Kill    Stress Diagnostic Graph    Stress Management    Alcohol use

Trauma:  Tackle Trauma    Trauma Counselling Skills    Trauma    Signs & Symptoms of Trauma

Helplessness:  Circles of Control    Circles of Control    Living in the Now    Pareto's Principle - The 80/20 Rule

Hopelessness:  Destiny: Action or Accident?    Circles of Control    Circles of Control

Insomnia:  Insomnia

2. Manage the Change

The Coronavirus has brought about so much change that it is important for us to understand the psychological process we go through if we want to be able to adapt to it rather than resist it.

 The Challenge of Change    The Life Change Model    Responsible Risk Taking    Managing Change  The Change Wheel

3. Build Resilience

Knowing how to build our resilience in this Coronavirus era, is probably more important than it has ever been.

 Resilience: The Bounce Back Factor!    Resilience: The Bounce Back Factor!    Change Your Thinking…. Change Your Life!

4. Practice Self-Care

Understanding why and how we need to care for ourselves is vital if we are going to thrive in the Coronavirus era.

Self-care Scale    Spurn The Burn    The Wellbeing Wheel    Stop Sabotaging Your Dreams    Invest In Yourself    Love to Laugh, Laugh to Live    The Wood Cutter Stories    Mastering the Balancing Act    The Value of Vision Boards    Prepped for Play    The ‘Rocks, Pebbles and Sand’ Story    The Wellbeing Wheel    You-Q

5. Deal With Personality Differences

Different personalities are dealing with the Coronavirus era in different ways. Understanding yourself and others will go a long way to help us cope more effectively.

MBTI   Online MBTI    Raising an Introverted Child    Understanding Extraverts and Introverts    I'm not Crazy, I Just Don't think Like You!...    MBTI   MTQ (Mental Toughness Questionnaire)   Online MTQ    Getting Around To It – The Perversity of Procrastination  
 Integrating Integrity

6. Improve Communication

Being able to communicate well goes a long way towards building relationships and increasing productivity. Good communication also helps to prevent mental illness, tension and violence.

Coping with Conflict:
 Coping With Conflict    Creating Cooperation From Conflict

Constructive Criticism (Feedback):
 Face up to Feedback (Giving and Receiving Constructive Criticism)    Prepare to face up to Feedback

Counselling Skills (peer counselling / teachers/ HR):
 Basic Counselling Skills    Trauma Counselling Skills

Communication Styles:
 Attention on Assertiveness    Attention on Assertiveness    The Five Communication Styles

Conversation:
 The Art of Conversation    The Practice Art of Making Conversation    Mastering the Art of Conversation    Seven Common Conversation Errors… and How to Remedy Them    Time to Accept a Compliment    Phone Finesse – It’s Your Call    Phone Finesse    Body Language for Confidence    The Power of Listening    Vocal Impact    Using Body Language for Confidence

7. Handle Loss

In the Coronavirus era, loss includes the loss of loved ones, as well as the loss of health, lifestyle, finances, work and business. Understanding the process of loss and how to help yourself and others is critically important in preventing mental illness.

 Survive Your Sorrow

Retrenchment:
 Retrenchment: How to Survive it and come out on top

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