Coronacoaster -how to survive the ups and downs of lockdown

I’ve had very similar conversations with clients the last few weeks. It seems in the UK we all have a bit of lockdown fatigue. It’s not novel like the first lockdown where we had great weather and everyone pulled together. We have less sunlight and outdoor time and we’re unsure when this will all be over. 

Our brains like certainty, it helps us to predict; when something disrupts our normality we can find it unsettling. Collectively we’ve never dealt with such a change to our lives before so we can have a variety of responses. 

We can go into a protective response, where we kind of shut down and wait for things to be clearer, it might feel similar to depression. Or our brains try to match what’s going on to a previous experience we’ve had. If you’ve experienced poverty, redundancy or loss and the match is strong then you’ll most likely experience anxiety in anticipation of the same thing happening again and respond with fight, flight or freeze response. If we’ve had a lot of stability in our lives it might be easier to feel optimistic and remember this is a short term problem. This is why Covid has hit some people harder than others. We’re all having our own unique response. 

The rollercoaster of emotions that we’re experiencing is normal. For some of us our situations would be luxury and safety for millions of people around the world. It’s our perception that can make or break us. 

So what can we do? It’s not easy but here are some principles I’ve put together to help. 

Deal with the situation as it is, not what it should be.

Impossible to plan long term, take each day as it comes. Easier said than done. Focussing on the here and now and what we can actually do will lower anxiety.

Acceptance 

Some old and unhelpful coping strategies might have come up - maybe you’re busy being busy, scrolling on your phone for hours, drinking wine or eating too much - or maybe a combination of all of those things! It’s normal to want some escapism at this time. If the habit isn’t too damaging then accept that you’re doing the best with what you’ve got. It’s a good idea to check in and ask yourself “what do I need?” Maybe introduce some staples like a stretch, a bath or an early night as an alternative. You don’t have to be the ideal version of yourself right now but if the habits you have are making things worse then contact me for a chat and a plan. 

What we focus on grows

We have access to 24/7 information. Cut down reading and watching the news, cull your social media feeds to focus on things that make you feel good.

Calmness is a skill that can get better with practice 

I’m updating My Wellness Hub with resources every week to help you to develop your meditation and calming skills. Have a look at a simple breathing technique video to ease stress or a relaxing Mp3 to take your mind off things or wash away stress. 

Support

As always, I’m here to speak to - email me hello@sianquipp.com or choose a time to speak Book in