Thread by @EmilyRowe69

Shoutout to everyone in lockdown. This is just crap. It’s frustrating and scary. Hard to make plans. Hard to imagine an end to this. It’s very hard to feel okay when everything feels so dark. It’s okay to feel all the feelings. It’s important to think about your situation. It’s 2

equally important to be aware of when you are fixating and perseverating on negative thoughts. Nothing good can come from this. Our brains are problem solving machines. They receive all the input and stimuli then set to work to try and make sense of the ‘patterns of prediction’ 3

that we determine our next actions on. When there is a pattern break and the information and situation blindsides you, the brain will keep whirring and trying to solve an unsolvable present. And the more frustrating the situation, the higher your anxiety gets and your amygdala 4

is triggered and your flight/fight/freeze/fawn response kicks in making it even harder for you to think critically. You are not your thoughts. Your thoughts are hypothetical attempts at solving the circumstances you are in. If your thinking is affecting your emotional state 5/

make a concerted effort to distract yourself. Lovely music. Films. Art. Cooking. Puzzles. Scrabble. Documentaries. Your inner management will determine your resilience in these times. Sending you all my best wishes and love. Make yourself a pot of tea and your favourite treat, 6/

then write a list of at least 5 things to do that don’t involve listening to an endless news cycle or doom-scrolling. You’ve got this. You are stronger than you know. You just haven’t been tested yet….