Local counselors share tips for coping during COVID-19

The coronavirus crisis and all that comes with it is a potent mix of mental health challenges: anxiety from following cable news, health concerns, social isolation, lost income, disrupted routines and more.

“People are under so much stress right now,” said Erika Creydt, director of behavioral health at TouchStone Health Clinic in Blaine. “People have a lot less support than they did before because of the social distancing.”

Much of what Creydt now does with her clients, who she sees through online video meetings, is “crisis work,” or responding to this specific situation. Creydt has worked with clients on a variety of mental health challenges related to the current crisis and she and Rives Thornton, clinical supervisor and licensed mental health counselor at TouchStone, have some coping tips for everyone.

Make a list of people you can reach out to

That way, “If you’re feeling anxious and concerned, you know you have people right there at the ready,” Thornton said. Creydt suggested trying to call three people a day to stay connected. After all, they’re most likely at home and not doing much.

Exercise

Keep up with exercise, especially if you can do it outside – being outside comes with additional mental health benefits.

“Get outside. Maintain social distancing but get outside,” Thornton said. And think outside the box; planting a garden is exercise, and research shows that it also comes with additional mental health benefits. “Growing things is really empowering,” Thornton said.

Avoid alcohol and drugs

Alcohol and drugs may seem like good ways to relieve stress, but they “actually make the crisis much worse in the long term,” Creydt said.

Make a list of things you’ve always wanted to do

If the coronavirus and stay-at-home order have left you with a lot of time, come up with a list of things you’ve always wanted to learn or try that you can do at home. Now might be a good time to study a new language, read the books you’ve always wanted to read or learn to cook or bake. Find a way to make this time useful.

Making a list is important: “When people feel overwhelmed, parts of the prefrontal cortex start shutting down, so trying to decide between a bunch of things is more difficult,” Creydt said. “If you have a list, you don’t have to think about it.”

Maintain your spiritual practice

“Maintaining whatever spiritual practice you have is a great tool for people who find that calming or a source of strength,” Creydt said. For everyone, focused breathing and meditation can be calming, and Creydt suggested YouTube as a source of meditation and yoga videos.

Reach out to professionals

Like the counselors at TouchStone, mental health professionals around the state have adapted to social distancing, and many are working to make themselves available during this crisis.

To find professional help, Thornton recommends going to psychologytoday.com, where one can enter a zip code and what kind of help they’re seeking to get a list of local mental health professionals.

Keep things in perspective

It’s okay to not feel okay, and it’s okay to grieve lost safety, routine and social connections. And while this crisis has changed life profoundly, it isn’t forever: “Keep in mind that while no one can pinpoint how long this is going to go on for, there will be an end,” Thornton said.