The #Covid19 pandemic and shelter in place measures have thrown my privilege into sharp relief. My family and I are safe and well-fed in our house, and have resources and jobs that allow us to care for our child, too. And I keep an online appointment with my therapist.
Last week my therapist and I listed all the things that might be difficult about #COVID19 even for those with shelter and enough to eat. I thought the list might be helpful, so here it is. Remember there are lots of reasons you, loved ones and colleagues might be feeling wobbly.
You might struggle with being in isolation; or you might find it hard to have cohabitants in your space all the time. You might be juggling work and care responsibilities. You might be worried about money. You might simply find change destabilizing.
You might be worried about the pandemic as a global threat - worried about all the strangers who will get sick, who will die. About the global economy and the impact on other things, like the environment, civil liberties, and social justice.
You might be worried about vulnerable loved ones, maybe people you can't be with physically. You might be finding the ambiguity difficult - not knowing what's going to happen or how long this will go on for.
My therapist's advice: remember that this too, will end, although the world may look different. Remember we are all in it together - that we are connected by the risks and our collective action to help. Remember that you have survived other things. Ask for help. Be patient. HTH.
It helps me to pick these worries apart and try to think them through one at a time, to understand them as overlapping but separate. We can think them down to a more manageable size, so that we can do the things we need to do and reduce feelings of overwhelm.
There are lots of resources out there to help - here's one from the CDC. Do share others that have helped, and other sources of worry if you have them! It's ok to be worried. cdc.gov/coronavirus/20… #COVID19
