Suicides, depression and anxiety rose substantially during the past recession. In fact, some father’s of my then grade schooler had either attempted to or successfully killed themselves. Just the other day my sister in law told me that she had been delayed by the Metra. The train station came to a screeching halt. No traffic moved in either direction. Honestly, “another jumper” was my first thought.

Terrible as that thought may seem, the shut down, loss of jobs, and social isolation cause significant emotional pain. The British Journal of Psychiatry posted an article on January 2, 2018 written by Reeves, et.al, about 10,000 suicides related to job losses. Add to this the Covid pandemic which fosters fear in even the bravest. The news media tends to stoke the sensational flames feeding into our deepest fears and anxiety. More suicides, addictions and generally dysfunctional behavior is what I fear the most.

Being hunkered down in our home may initially feel like a snow day until weeks and weeks start to add up. The healthiest of us might engage in adaptive behaviors like reading more, exercising more, having fun zoom talks with our friends. However, many more engage in self-defeating behaviors like social isolation, overeating, binge drinking or generally self-destructive behaviors as methods of coping with the extreme stress. While some feel more productive while at home others feel like they work nonstop. They find it impossible to set boundaries between work and personal life.

Still others find themselves stuck in patterns of verbal or physical abuse. These individuals cannot escape from their difficult situations other than calling the police. But, let’s face it every time we hear a siren we don’t think of physical abuse or suicide but instead Covid. These are serious issues so a “simple” panic attack or increased anxiety may seem trivial in comparison. After all you could have Covid so you say to yourself “Buck up.”

What exactly does buck up mean? Resolving it on your own? Having just another cocktail? Eating some comfort food? Talking to a friend who maybe doesn’t want to hear about your panic? Unfortunately, for some it might mean all of the above. Problems get worse when stress goes up. Instead, try counseling. Your therapist won’t tell you to “Buck up.” The therapist won’t tell you it’s all in your mind and that you’re overreacting. Rather your individual counselor will listen and help you get back to being your best self. Through active listening and compassion your therapist will join in your recovery process helping you get back on track emotionally, That means making better and more sound choices for yourself while learning to better manage the anxiety related to all that is happening around us.

Sometimes it takes someone with an active interest to motivate you to do better. Avoid the sweets and make some healthy fair. Meditate rather than watching the news. Put on your gym shoes to move more even if it’s walking around the apartment or house more frequently rather than laying on the couch. Find the energy to invest in yourself. It’s difficult to turn off all the negative chatter and maintain a positive outlook when none of us know what’s coming around the corner.

Don’t put off what you can work on today. It may mean that tomorrow feels a lot more manageable. Look forward to helping. Call today! Dr. Barbara Goschi