Coping with COVID-19

It’s important to keep our minds healthy in addition to our bodies. However, COVID-19 has had an effect on our mental health in a variety of ways — from causing stress, to cutting us off from friends, family and co-workers. So how can we reduce the impact on our psyche? This week we chatted with Susan Peek, a long-time Red Crosser currently volunteering with Disaster Mental Health, about COVID coping tips to help keep our mental wellbeing healthy.

 

 Keeping in Contact

“We need to change the language around ‘social distancing’,” Susan says. “Social distancing” sends the wrong message: it’s isolating and imprecise. A better term, she says, is “physical distancing,” because maintaining contact with friends and family remains crucial. Picking up the phone and calling loved ones can go a long way toward not only helping your mental health, but that of those you’re talking to, too.

Practicing Grounding

Next up is grounding, a technique where you anchor yourself with facts to allay fears. In practical terms, Susan recommends limiting yourself to reputable sources of information about the virus like the Red Cross, or the World Health Organization. Grounding works by challenging negative thinking, allowing you to “take a step back”, which helps reduce fears and worries.

Nailing down a Routine

Maintaining a routine helps give you structure and lessens your day-to-day mental load. It can be hard to keep to a routine during a lockdown, but Susan strongly recommends it as a COVID coping tip. At the same time, it can be difficult to “switch off” from a routine, which is why Susan recommends…

Remembering Self-Care

One thing we hear a lot from people working from home is that it’s tough to set boundaries. “I’m already working on the couch all day, what’s an hour more?” Let’s dump that mindset, Susan recommends, and practice more self-care! Self-care can take many forms, but boils down to a fundamental question: what do I need to feel good? From a walk in the sun amongst some fresh scenery to an elongated coffee break, it’s important to be looking out for our feelings and emotions during a crisis.

 

In addition to keeping ourselves healthy and safe, it’s important to also consider our mental wellbeing by applying Susan’s tips: staying in contact with our loved ones, grounding ourselves, building a routine, and practicing self-care. Additional coping tips are available on our website. On that note, it’s proven that altruism can help our mental health by giving us positive feelings — have you booked your next blood donation?

Story by: Tim Snedden, Communications Volunteer
American Red Cross, Western New York Region

WNY is #BostonStrong!

One week ago Monday, explosions rocked the finish line at the Boston Marathon. We've all seen the news coverage of these tragic events, from the bombings to the manhunts to the vigils. Clearly, this has been a difficult week for the entire Boston community, and the Red Cross has been there to support that community since the bombings. And Western New York is here to support the Red Cross.

Yes, I said here. I flew in on Friday to support the local Public Affairs team. I must say it was surreal to watch TV on the plane to see the city I was about to land in was on lockdown. But any hesitation I may have had about coming in to that situation was quickly dashed when I got to the headquarters and got a feel for the amazing work being done to support this community. In the past week, over 200 Red Cross workers have served nearly 20,000 meals and snacks, handed out hundreds of relief items such as blankets and comfort kits, and perhaps most importantly have made over 2,200 health and mental health services. Here's a story I wrote about some of the dozens of Boston area social workers, psychologists and other clinicians who have taken the training and become Red Cross Disaster Mental Health workers in the past week, and have already begun doing some amazing work helping this community heal emotionally following the events of April 15.


Tara Hughes shares coping tips with WCVB-TV viewers
outside a makeshift memorial set up near the Marathon
Bombing scene at Boylston and Berkeley

And who's in charge of the Disaster Mental Health operations during the Boston Marathon relief efforts? Our very own Tara Hughes of Amherst. Tara arrived last Tuesday--"I missed my flight Monday," she says--and has been leading this vital part of the response ever since. She worked to set up a Family Assistance Center to support victims and their families, and has helped lead Disaster Mental Health workers out into the community to support area residents during these trying times. She's put together tips for coping with stressful situations in the aftermath of the bombings, and woke up bright and early Monday morning to share some tips with viewers of Boston's ABC affiliate, WCVB. She also spoke of the importance of this emotional support at a press conference I helped arrange to announce that some of these Red Cross coping tips are going to be posted on subway cars throughout the area, thanks to the generosity of The Boston Foundation and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.



L-R: Red Cross of Eastern MA CEO Jarrett Barrios and
Emergency Services Director Leighton Jones stand with
Tara Hughes holding coping tips that will be
posted on Boston subway trains during
a photo with the Boston Herald 



When I checked into the hotel, who should I find as my roommate but Dominic DiGirolamo. While it's been nice to talk about the Sabres and Bills with someone here, the really nice thing has been hearing about the amazing work he has been doing supporting the families of those affected by the bombings. I can't share the details because it wouldn't be fair to the clients, but just know WNY should be proud of the work he is doing here.

It's not just here in Boston. The Red Cross is helping people after an explosion in West, Texas and flooding throughout the Midwest. And of course, Western New Yorkers are on the way to help, with Diane Sargent heading to Chicago and Tom LeBeau on the way to West. So while we're all #BostonStrong, we're also with everyone dealing with difficult situations all across the country.