The COVID pandemic has brought nothing but change. "We're closed; now we're open, sorta but not much. Now we're closed again. This is real-people are dying. No they're not; it's all a lie. Masks are good. No, they're bad; they keep us well; no, they make us sick. It's crazy-making.
Things keep changing, and our brains can struggle with that.
Psychologists talk about change in this spiral:
change-uncertainty-stress.
Change creates a vague sense of uneasiness that triggers the body's threat response generating a variety of chemical reactions that can perpetuate even more anxiety as we worry about what's gonna happen next.? When change is continual, stress becomes relentless and unpredictable, leaving us in a constant state of alert. Part of our brain always remains vigilant just in case change brings dire consequences.
Experts tell us that this is how all that stress affects our behavior:
Mood swings and emotional inflexibility
Increased negative emotions, irritability, and distractibility
Sadness, worry, and agitation
Narrowed attention span
Lower levels of trust and increased cynicism
Disconnecting from others---
And now we have stress because we have had to disconnect from others. And that's going to increase our stress!
Can I ask, have you experienced times in the last few months of waking up in the middle of the night wide awake with your heart pounding with worry about your family members getting Covid and dying and or fretting about the state of the economy when this is all over. Or circling the drain about what this isolation is doing to our culture as suicide is on the rise and mental health is on the decline? You aren't alone in your concerns.
We're going to look at some tools by experts for how to be resilient, to deal better with the environment of change. I have ABC's to help.
I actually have a D and E as well. I am a southerner. We have a lot to say. We can't even say Good Mornin' in less than six syllables!
A-Access Your Assets
In a recent article in Time Magazine, The Science of Stress, clearly not a faith-based publication, the author acknowledges that people are less likely to experience adverse effects from stress if they "focus on their resources. Some of the most effective strategies for this are acknowledging your personal strengths; remembering times in the past when you overcame similar challenges; imagining the support of loved ones; and praying, or knowing that others are praying for you."
This study acknowledges the benefit of praying ourselves and recognizing that others are praying for us. Those of us who know the Lord, know the source of the power of prayer, and in times of trouble, faith in God is the source of our power and peace no matter what the circumstances.
We can handle anything life dishes out, including death itself, when we trust the Lord; when we trust that a power greater than ourselves, can restore us to sanity. We know that the power we seek is the loving Savior Himself, Jesus, who wants to be our friend and get us through the changes we are experiencing to the other side with pride and not regret.
For the tool that begins with B, you will need to click over to our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/answersfrommomanddad
Next week I will continue providing you with more of the ABC's for managing change in your life via my mailouts and on my blog.
Perhaps you need a place to unload your frustration, irritability, and anxiety about your current situation with the present quarantine, threat of disease, and fear government collapse-- who wouldn't? Then respond to this email. I am setting up weekly classes with only a handful of people per class to give folks a place to voice their concerns, so they don't wear out their partners and loved ones. And each week, we will visit a new tool for coping with stress. I'd love to have you.