Self-care during crisis can give you a sense of normalcy
Photo by Willian Justen de Vasconcellos on Unsplash
In the midst of this global crisis, many of us face unprecedented uncertainty and worry. For people with a history of trauma, stressful external events can stir up additional pain and anxiety. Self-care during crisis can help you cope with the added turmoil you might feel during this time.
How Humans React to Crisis
A disaster or community emergency stimulates responses that look quite different from our normal reactions to everyday events – or even personal or family emergencies. A crisis that affects many people, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, carries with it a greater level of uncertainty and feelings of insecurity for entire groups of people.
According to the CDC, a large-scale crisis causes people to have more exaggerated reactions and revert to a more primitive fight-or-flight mode. As a byproduct of that response, during a crisis, the CDC reports that we tend to:
Simplify messages, miss nuances and skip over important action steps
Hold onto current beliefs that cause us to ignore safety recommendations
Look for additional information or opinions related to the crisis
Believe the first message we hear, even if it is later disproved
Understanding these reactions and coping mechanisms can help you choose some healthier methods for feeling more secure during stressful times.
Simply naming the first, knee-jerk response that pops up can help calm you and reset your thought processes. Research has shown that:
“...labeling of emotion appears to decrease activity in the brain’s emotional centers, including the amygdala. This dampening of the emotional brain allows its frontal lobe (reasoning and thinking center) to have greater sway over solving the problem du jour.”
Once you have pulled your brain out of its initial fight-or-flight response by naming it, you can then focus on more concrete action plans that bring a greater sense of safety and control in the midst of crisis.
Self-Care Practices During Crisis
Research also shows that making decisions and creating an action plan helps soothe the brain’s panic response. According to neuroscientists Alex Korb, making a decision impacts the brain in a number of positive ways:
“Making decisions includes creating intentions and setting goals — all three are part of the same neural circuitry and engage the prefrontal cortex in a positive way, reducing worry and anxiety. Making decisions also helps overcome striatum activity, which usually pulls you toward negative impulses and routines. Finally, making decisions changes your perception of the world — finding solutions to your problems and calming the limbic system.”
While many decisions may feel out of your control during a community crisis, you do have control over your own self-care routine. Setting an intention to practice self-care and then writing a self-care action plan will begin the process of soothing your panic or stress responses.
Then, each self-care technique will further act to restore your sense of peace and security during an uneasy time. These techniques can include:
Mindfulness. Prayer, meditation, mindful breathing, nature walks, and more can all bring your attention back to your mind, body, and spirit. As you focus on the present moment during these practices, time slows down and your being gets a much-needed break from outside stimuli.
Gratitude practice. Listing all the things that are going well in your life can also calm you during a crisis. Even taking the time to notice and give thanks for little things, such as a sunny day or something that made you smile, will remind you that life is good.
Exercise. There’s a reason parks and trails remain open even during stay-at-home orders. The benefits of exercise and time outdoors on humans’ mental health is well-documented. Go for a walk or a hike, or even stream an online yoga class. Focusing on your physical health will give you a reprieve from thinking too much about the crisis.
Laughter. The University of Colorado hosted a virtual “Power of Laughter” session for faculty and staff last week. Why? Because humor and laughter release serotonin and endorphins in the brain – neurochemicals that can counteract stress. Turn on a funny podcast or scroll through a humor blog to bring a little extra laughter into your life today.
Eating well. Stress can drive any of us to the pantry in search of junk food, but good nutrition supports mental health as much as it does physical health. Prioritize good nutrition always, but especially as you cope with stress or crisis.
If you have neglected your self-care practice during this time, it’s not too late. Write your action plan and set aside time each day, several times per day, to focus on taking care of you.
I have virtual sessions available using Zoom, if that is a safer option for you. My calendar is also open to seeing me in the office beginning May 11. Registration for Fall #HER Circles will begin in July.