Social Connection Physical Distancing | Notes From 3/19/20 Free Chat with CCM

Social Connection Physical Distancing | Notes From 3/19/20 Free Chat with CCM

Differentiate physical distancing from social distancing.There is talk of fear and how to protect yourself physically, but not emotionally.Skill of using mindfulness. When you are feeling anxiety about the future, bring yourself back to the present moment. Stay in the present.Maintain routine exercise, eating healthy, while having patience with others.Everyone goes at this differently and you need to respect how each individually goes through this.May allow us to appreciate smaller things that we had, meeting with someone for coffee, etc. This may be an opportunity.There have been creative ways of people connecting with one another and taking care of one another.Living alone is particularly challenging. Not having anyone with you in your current space. No physical touch. Virtual happy hours.Understand that it’s challenging when people have events like birthdays, alone.Virtual coffee and lunch.Connection is everything, that’s how we are biologically built. We need to find the way to build that connection.Best practices for working productively at home: Comments from some folks online:1. Work seems to suck you in and you don’t put work down. 2. Wear wireless headphones so that you can walk around a bit. 3. Get up and going in the morning. Get dressed/exercise/start your day. 4.Get into your same (modified) routine. 5. Get outside multiple times a day to break things up.This is very new and people are trying to figure out the new norm. Be understanding.Go for a drive somewhere. Take a walk somewhere interesting, not just in your neighborhood.Some feel too much time on your hands. Sometimes you feel like you have a lot on your plate, but can’t seem to get anything done.Opportunity to get things done (get to the closet you’ve wanted to organize), but also just be. Give yourself permission to just “be,” too.Too much news and online information. Humor is good—what can you laugh about?Less news, more music. You just need to generally know what’s going on vs. minute by minute.Every hour get up and move around. Do something.If you incorporate other emotions other than fear and anxiety, you will feel less anxious (eg. Humor, conversations with others).Some are seeing this time as a spiritual retreat and meditating more often, be mindful. (obviously difficult if you have kids )Many are struggling with insomnia. 1. Remind your self that you are worrying about something that hasn’t materialized. 2. Insight Timer guided meditation app. Listen to it as you go to sleep. 3. Very busy during the day and then alone with your thoughts at night. 4. YouTube muscle relaxation links 4. Acknowledge those thoughts of anxiety and the reality of them, but relax into those thoughts and then they will pass more quickly rather than engage with those thoughts. Surf the anxiety versus diving into it. It’s normal to be anxious. Emotions aren’t good or bad, they are comfortable or uncomfortable. Aroma therapy, calm drops you get at CVS, don’t drink coffee too late in the day. There is a power of the placebo effect. If you believe something is working, that’s powerful and it will help.Be careful to not have your anxiety cause increased use of substances or over-eating. Keep track of that, ask why you are reaching for those things more often. Are you trying to escape from something?Boost your immune system by eating healthy, maybe taking vitamins, be active.Be practical, what are best practices.Reduce risk, but you can’t reduce it to zero. There are different assessments of risk and we have to respect everyone’s individual assessment of risk. Complete self-isolation vs. some who are going out and about. Honor everyone’s truths. Everyone sees the world differently.Shift feelings of anger toward people (like parents, friends) who are not as careful as you to explanations of worry, concern, and fear. That may be more effective than being aggressive. Someone who had the virus was on the call. She felt that some aren’t looking at the news enough and were denying the possibility of contracting this disease. She’s 63 and otherwise very healthy. This has not been easy for her, many assume that it will be.Some on the call were furloughed. What do you do with financial anxiety? Anxiety is valid. Losing a job is a legitimate source of anxiety. Some anxiety is just a pebble in your shoe, but this seems like a good reason to be anxious. How do we incorporate this anxiety? There’s a difference between experiencing anxiety and being over-taken by it. Move moment by moment and navigate that moment. Be mindful about how you’re spending money. If you are not in a difficult circumstance help others. What can you do to ease others burdens? Being productive like that reduces anxiety.Another layer is folks who are taking care of others like newborn babies and older parents.
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