Stress from COVID-19 reports

[anneg]

Finally got a Covid booster today. I’ve been battling a severe cold for two weeks and finally felt well enough to get the vaccine. My cancer treatment had to be postponed to next week.

Because of my chemo and the germs flying around our kids are going to have us be there via FaceTime for Christmas Eve. Missing my little grand babies terribly already. But Im trying to look at the big picture. Get through these next few months of chemo and treatment and I can be with them again.

I hope everyone is getting through these days as best they can. Take care of you!

Midgie, I'm glad you were able to get your booster, and sorry that you will miss being with your family for Christmas. We won't be with our family either--we are old and are not traveling over the holidays. You are on my prayer list! Hugs!

 

[anneg]

So far, so good after our trip to L.A. last week. No sign yet of Omicron. But now we have to drive about 300 miles to Sacramento for a brand new kind of PET/CT scan on Monday. My husband’s very low grade prostate cancer has decided to jump to the highest grade and we have to find out if it’s spread in order to determine treatment.

We actually had a really nice time where we stayed in L.A. on the water, so we will try to make lemonade out of lemons and turn this trip into a little vacation too. The change of scenery really was good for us, and if it weren’t for these medical reasons we’d never go anywhere or even eat in a restaurant at home. So at least we can do these things without feeling like we’re taking unnecessary risks. But we’d rather we didn’t have to, of course. I’m happy to hibernate!

I'm sorry to hear about the medical need for another trip and wish both of you well as you travel to Sacramento for further testing. Hugs!

 

[weepingangel]

21 Mental Health Podcasts That Will Teach You Something New

 

[weepingangel]

https://www.coursera.org/learn/manage-health-covid-19
About this Course
Never in the history of humanity have so many people been feeling intense anxiety related to COVID-19 and the world it will leave in its wake. The intent of this course is to give you a deeper understanding of the anxiety reaction as it relates to various aspects of our current life, ranging from our consumption of news to the way we talk to our children about this. I will also give you clear strategies for managing and, in fact, turning off the anxiety response at least for short periods. My sincere hope is that you will leave this course with a better understanding of how your brain reacts to crises, along with some powerful tools for managing it before it manages you.

 

[weepingangel]

Check out this app, Mindfulness Coach, free on the App Store and Google Play!
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.va.mobilehealth.ncptsd.mindfulnesscoach
iOS: ‎Mindfulness Coach

 

[mickey2942]

I am finally back at the gym now. Happier than I have ever been, I really missed it for 2 years. This was much needed for my mental health.

 

[Yesiamapirate]

I am finally back at the gym now. Happier than I have ever been, I really missed it for 2 years. This was much needed for my mental health.

Us, too!! We love to swim and walk the track. Our city rec center just lifted the mask requirement on the 1st. I held off resigning up until now because I didn’t want to workout with a mask. Once I shake this head cold, I look forward to getting back into the pool. Mentally, I need this!
PS my rapid COVID test was negative. It really felt like my typical head cold. And picking up a cold when traveling is kind of common for me.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Us, too!! We love to swim and walk the track. Our city rec center just lifted the mask requirement on the 1st. I held off resigning up until now because I didn’t want to workout with a mask. Once I shake this head cold, I look forward to getting back into the pool. Mentally, I need this!
PS my rapid COVID test was negative. It really felt like my typical head cold. And picking up a cold when traveling is kind of common for me.

DH makes an effort to swim every other day and only missed for the brief period of time when Beaumont Health Club (Rochester Hills) was closed due to Covid. The health club is in a medical facility, so masks are required when entering/exiting the building but are not necessary in aquatic center or gym.

 

[stevenspear]

There is such a thing as COVID burn out. Where you get so stressed out by every news development that it's just overwhelming. I know I was like this last year, seeking out every news article. Watching all the counters go up. Viewing case, hospitalization and death stats daily, sometimes even hourly. It was like an obsession and just got to be too much and my anxiety was through the roof.

So I made myself take longer breaks from watching the news on TV or online. Just got updates once a week. Tried to focus on what I was doing to keep myself and my family protected - such as making sure I was keeping up the hygiene regimen, restocking masks, grocery planning to cut down on how many times I had to go out, making sure I knew when I was eligible for vaccination etc. Immersed myself in hobbies such as gardening, playing computer games and trying new exciting cooking recipes. Reinstated movie night for the whole family. Basically reminded myself what we are all fighting for.

It really helped me regain some perspective.

My city is currently in lockdown for another fortnight, but I am feeling much more zen about things this time.

If you focus on day to day things, and try not to get bogged down in the alarming reports, it does make things a little easier. I'm not saying ignore the news, of course, but try to ration it better, for your own mental wellbeing.

*hugs*

You have described everything very accurately. I had a similar situation. For a while, I forced myself to absolutely not read or watch any news. For two days I turned on the TV just to watch old movies. Gradually, the feeling of anxiety disappeared.

 

[margarita25]

You have described everything very accurately. I had a similar situation. For a while, I forced myself to absolutely not read or watch any news. For two days I turned on the TV just to watch old movies. Gradually, the feeling of anxiety disappeared.

Welcome.

 

[margarita25]

Sending hugs to you! You're definitely not alone.

I like to stay informed, but it can easily become overwhelming for me as well. It's a very fine line for me.

Like others have said - distraction helps! So I'm going to share a list of some things that have been helpful for me.

-crocheting! I volunteer for an organization called Comfort for Critters. Blankets are made for shelter animals and sent home with them when adopted to help them adjust to their forever home. I don't want to go on about that too much but there's more info on the website, www.comfortforcritters.org
We always need more people if that's something anyone wants to do! It brings me joy and I've found crochet to be a great anxiety reliever.

-soothing videos/sounds. My favorite is a YouTube channel called Calmed By Nature. The rainy coffee shop videos are amazing! I wind down with those at night sometimes while crocheting or having tea.

-guided imagery/meditation. I actually looked into this recently when nervous about getting my Covid shot. There are YouTube videos that walk you through it, it's all about imagining a place where you feel calm and relaxed. It's my favorite waterfall/state park for me as it brings a lot of good childhood memories up. It's helped me fall asleep a few nights already.

-houseplants! I started with a spider plant cutting a friend sent me. Now I have a few more plants that are beautiful but low maintenance. The greenery makes me happy and I love seeing them grow.

I actually deactivated my personal social media account/FB back in January as well and it's been such a good thing for me. That has become quite a stressful place to me personally throughout the pandemic.

Those are the main things that have helped me. So much of this is out of our control and that takes a heavy toll if we let it. Try to bring the focus back to what you can do to protect yourself/your family. And finding small ways to add some joy and peace into your life. It won't change the circumstances of what we're living through but it has made it a little more bearable for me. Hope that helps <3

Awesome stuff. Love, love, love the blankets for shelter animals.

 

[stevenspear]

Sending hugs to you! You're definitely not alone.

I like to stay informed, but it can easily become overwhelming for me as well. It's a very fine line for me.

Like others have said - distraction helps! So I'm going to share a list of some things that have been helpful for me.

-crocheting! I volunteer for an organization called Comfort for Critters. Blankets are made for shelter animals and sent home with them when adopted to help them adjust to their forever home. I don't want to go on about that too much but there's more info on the website, writemypaperbro.com
We always need more people if that's something anyone wants to do! It brings me joy and I've found crochet to be a great anxiety reliever.

-soothing videos/sounds. My favorite is a YouTube channel called Calmed By Nature. The rainy coffee shop videos are amazing! I wind down with those at night sometimes while crocheting or having tea.

-guided imagery/meditation. I actually looked into this recently when nervous about getting my Covid shot. There are YouTube videos that walk you through it, it's all about imagining a place where you feel calm and relaxed. It's my favorite waterfall/state park for me as it brings a lot of good childhood memories up. It's helped me fall asleep a few nights already.

-houseplants! I started with a spider plant cutting a friend sent me. Now I have a few more plants that are beautiful but low maintenance. The greenery makes me happy and I love seeing them grow.

I actually deactivated my personal social media account/FB back in January as well and it's been such a good thing for me. That has become quite a stressful place to me personally throughout the pandemic.

Those are the main things that have helped me. So much of this is out of our control and that takes a heavy toll if we let it. Try to bring the focus back to what you can do to protect yourself/your family. And finding small ways to add some joy and peace into your life. It won't change the circumstances of what we're living through but it has made it a little more bearable for me. Hope that helps <3

I absolutely agree, meditation helps, and studies have shown that some houseplants and their care can help cope with nervous tension and anxiety.

 

[MajorHoople]

I'm also finding ways to manage stress which makes me feel anxious too.

My optician advised me to start using heat masks on my eyes, because I have that blepharitis thing. I heat it for 25 seconds, then sit with it on for around 10 minutes. It is so relaxing! If I'm feeling a bit agitated, I'll focus on breathing at the same time, for a minute or two. Thoroughly recommend it, for a destresser.

@HongKongPhooey, my comment might not be helpful but I'd be remiss if I didn't at least mention it. I have a bad case of dry-eye syndrome and the prescription eyedrops, Restasis have been a huge benefit. Before Restasis it felt like I had sand in my eyes. Now, I'm much better.

Here's a link from the Mayo Clinic:

"Topical cyclosporine (Restasis) has been shown to offer relief of some signs and symptoms of blepharitis. Treatments for underlying conditions. Blepharitis caused by seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea or other diseases might be controlled by treating the underlying disease."

Blepharitis - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

@HongKongPhooey, my comment might not be helpful but I'd be remiss if I didn't at least mention it. I have a bad case of dry-eye syndrome and the prescription eyedrops, Restasis have been a huge benefit. Before Restasis it felt like I had sand in my eyes. Now, I'm much better.

Here's a link from the Mayo Clinic:

"Topical cyclosporine (Restasis) has been shown to offer relief of some signs and symptoms of blepharitis. Treatments for underlying conditions. Blepharitis caused by seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea or other diseases might be controlled by treating the underlying disease."

Blepharitis - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic.

Thanks Major! I shall look into them.

That’s an interesting link re the rosacea too. I have bumps that come up on my face (I need to invest in paper bags soon to cover myself if I go out!) and the long Covid team suggested it could be rosacea.