RESILIENCE: Coping During COVID-19 (ARCHIVE)
A weekly blog series about mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak
Resiliency and Joy
by Mental Wellness & Resources Team, Jefferson County Public Health, August 27, 2020
At 8 p.m. daily, almost without fail, Robin Braun emerges onto her street, near the corner of 7th and Dudley in Lakewood. Trumpet in hand, Robin leads a small gathering in a howl to support COVID-19 responders, and then she provides the neighborhood with a joyful performance. Friends and neighbors gather on the street to sway to the tunes, and smile at the small children clapping, dancing and moving their tiny bodies in the way only they can. Five months in, this is a commitment.
What motivates her to keep playing? Robin sees this act as an opportunity to be resilient, to stay active and to flex her musical muscles. Robin shared that she is eager to return to her musical life of performances and knows she will not be able to “run a marathon straight off the couch.” It takes discipline and practice to stay sharp. She also enjoys knowing she is doing her part to encourage the socially distant connection that happens in the 10-20 minutes of summer evening chats that inevitably occur after her performance. Way back at the start of the pandemic, she felt inspired to share “Amazing Grace” and has not repeated a tune yet, “except of course the chicken dance which the kids love, but that is extra.” She also provided her neighborhood with commemorative musical performances in honor of Memorial Day, Flag Day and the Fourth of July at Holbrook Park. She advertises these on Nextdoor and with signage at the park, if you are in the area.
Jefferson County Public Health wants to thank you, Robin Braun, for your service to your community and your model of maintaining resiliency for yourself and others. You make a difference!
We love hearing about your efforts to make Jeffco a more joyful place during this time. If you have a symbol of resiliency in your neighborhood share your story on Facebook and tag @jeffcopublichealth and we’ll highlight them here!
Robin Braun works as a professional musician. As a long-time resident of Jefferson County, Robin began her career as a member of a mariachi band at Casa Bonita in the 1980s! She has been with the Cherry Creek School District for 24 years and serves 44 elementary schools as the Coordinator of Elementary Instrumental Music Program. She is a member of the Rhinelanders Oktoberfest band and also owns and operates Lakewood School of Music where she teaches piano, voice, trumpet and French horn.
The Many Benefits of Tending to Plants
by Sarah Sweeterman, LCSW, August 5, 2020
Many of us can remember a time when we felt a sense of calm and peace surrounded by nature. Whether it be exploring dense forest terrain in Rocky Mountain National Park or strolling through the Denver Botanic Gardens, it’s no surprise that being in nature makes our brain produce more serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and behavior. But this positive mood boost can be closer and more accessible than you think!
Studies show that gardening and tending to plants produces a release of serotonin and helps to lower symptoms of anxiety, depression, and mood disorders.
A study published in the Journal of Landscape and Urban Planning found that home gardening generates just as many, if not more, emotional benefits as biking or going for a walk.
The sunlight exposure from gardening outdoors helps boost the body’s production of Vitamin D, which is thought to raise levels of serotonin in the brain.
Tending to our plants, whether outdoors or indoors, provides that sought-after stress relief as well as an opportunity for the more creative parts of our brain to come into play. It involves both cognitive and motor skills and occupies our full attention, helping us to take a moment away from work and focus entirely on something else.
What plants will you tend?
Sarah Sweeterman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and resident of Jefferson County. When not responding to the pandemic, she works as a Mental Health Specialist with the Jefferson County Public Health clinic services. Outside of work, Sarah enjoys camping, baking, and searching for the perfect thrift store treasure. For more information on Jeffco Public Health Clinic Services, visit https://www.jeffco.us/2100/Clinic-Services.
Work to Home Rituals
by Sarah Sweeterman, LCSW, August 13, 2020
If almost six months into the pandemic, you are still spending some time working from home, it’s important to create or continue to maintain physical routines that clue your body and mind into the fact that work is starting or ending. This is critical to maintaining a work/life balance while working at home. Below are some examples of things that can help create a mental shift from work to home.
- Create a routine to signal the start and end of your day:
- Go for a walk around the block to simulate a “commute.”
- In the morning, do a lap to clear your head before starting the day.
- In the evening, leave your house, walk around the block and come home as if at the end of a normal day.
- Create a time to tidy up your workstation and put your computer/phone/any work-related items away and out of sight, behind a closed door.
- Make sure to turn off any audible alarms on phone or email so that they do not pull you into looking at them after hours.
- Send a sign off email to your team at the end of the day
- Have a candle, or specific lamp that you light or turn on while you are working and that you blow out or turn off when you “clock out.”
- Create a routine to physically prepare for and then remove work from your body:
- Change your clothing. Effectively, you’ll have a work “uniform” and wear a different set of clothes for “time off.”
- Take a shower, before or after work as a signal for what is about to start or end.
- Wash your face/splash with cold water as a transitional activity.
Sarah Sweeterman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and resident of Jefferson County. She works as a Mental Health Specialist with the Jefferson County Public Health clinic services. For more information on Jeffco Public Health Clinic Services, visit https://www.jeffco.us/2100/Clinic-Services
Empathy Starts at Home
by Jennifer Anton, LPC, July 28, 2020
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings, thoughts and experiences of another person through perspective-taking. It is crucial for connecting and cooperating with others. Empathy is not a fixed trait we are necessarily born with; instead, it’s a skill that must be developed through practice and modeling.
If you have a job that is public-facing, a loved one struggling with depression or are living in tight quarters with others, you may find it draining to be empathetic during such stressful times. That’s why it’s so important to remember that empathy starts at home in the form of kindness and understanding for yourself.
Self-empathy is the acknowledgment that, like all human beings, you deserve understanding and compassion, too. Dr. Kristin Neff defines three elements of self-compassion:
- Self-Kindness: Being understanding and forgiving toward oneself, even in times of failure.
- Shared Humanity: Perceiving your own experiences as part of the larger human tapestry, rather than something that just “happens to me alone.”
- Mindfulness: The ability to identify your thoughts and feelings without reacting to them or judging them.
Looking for ways to practice self-empathy? Try these steps:
- Talk to yourself like you talk to your friends. What would you say to a friend or loved one about this situation?
- Re-direct negative thoughts. Try this cognitive technique: Write down a thought you have about yourself. Next, write down the emotions that come up for that thought, followed by evidence that challenges that thought. After this, come up with a replacement thought that takes into consideration the countering evidence. And, finally, write a replacement emotion for how the new thought makes you feel.
- Practice Mindfulness to Eliminate Self-Judgement. Recognize your thoughts, feelings and emotions without judging, avoiding or fixing them.
- Forgive Yourself. Show compassion for yourself and recognition of your humanity. We all make mistakes; it’s what you learn from them that matters.
- Don’t Compare Yourself to Others. You usually do not know the whole story about another person. Your best comparison is to your own growth. For example, tell yourself, “I may not be running a marathon, but I’ve gone from walking twice a week to four days a week.”
If you are interested in learning more about empathy, check out this video by Brené Brown. You may also be interested in her website or podcasts focusing on courage, compassion and trust-building.
Laughter is the Best Medicine
By Allyson Howe, MSW and Jennifer Anton, LPC, July 22, 2020
In the midst of such uncertainty and stress, it can be easy to forget to carve out moments for levity and fun. However, taking time to distract yourself and laugh can help. Laughter decreases stress hormones, increases immune cells and triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural feel-good chemicals.
Below are some ways laughter benefits your body:
- Stimulates organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen and stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles.
- Activates and relieve your stress response. Laughter fires up and then cools down your stress response by increasing, then decreasing your heart rate and blood pressure which leaves you feeling relaxed.
- Soothes tension. Laughter stimulates circulation and muscle relaxation, which can aid in reducing tension.
Consider some activities:
- What makes YOU laugh? Is it watching videos of puppies tripping over themselves? Re-runs of a favorite tv show? Being silly with your kids or friends? Find that thing that makes you laugh and share it with a friend or family member.
- Set a timer for 30 seconds and start laughing with your co-worker, friend or family member. It doesn’t matter if the laugh is fake or not; it will have the same effect!
And, remember that just like smiles, laughter is contagious too!
Allyson Howe is the Youth Engagement Specialist with the Tobacco Prevention Initiative at Jefferson County Public Health. Jennifer Anton is a Project Coordinator with LAUNCH Together initiative at Jefferson County Public Health. LAUNCH Together works to improve social-emotional and developmental outcomes for young children and their families in Jeffco.
Giving our Eyes a Break
By Jennifer Anton, LPC, July 9, 2020
A highly integrated sensory system, vision helps us orient to our world to absorb details, shapes, colors, distance and relationships. All the screen time we are currently having can take a huge toll on our eyes and our overall wellbeing. It’s important that you give your eyes a break every day.
In addition to cucumbers or a cold compress on your eyes, below are five exercises you can do to relieve strain. As always, remember to practice good hygiene and wash your hands thoroughly before and after trying any exercises that involve touching your face.
- Eye press: Close your eyes and inhale deeply. Put all your fingers on your eyelids and press lightly. Apply gentle pressure. Hold for about 10 seconds. Slowly let go of your eyes and open. Keep them open for a couple of seconds as your vision comes back into focus. You can blink a bit to help reorient your eyes. Repeat 10 times
- Ball toss: Grab a soft ball or hacky sack and toss it up on the air, follow with your eyes.
- Eye rolls: Look to your right and then roll your eyes up toward the sky. Next, roll your eyes down to the left and then to the ground. Repeat again going in the other direction. Start with 10 repetitions, twice a day.
- Figure eights: Sit in your best posture with your feet flat on the floor. Put your hands flat on your knees. Then lift up your right hand straight out in front of you with the thumb pointing up. Keep your head still and look at your thumb. Use your thumb to trace a figure 8 in the air while keeping your arm totally straight. Move in a clockwise and then a counter-clockwise direction for a total of 5 repetitions. Next, repeat the exercise with your left thumb.
- Slow blink: Look straight ahead of you at a blank wall. Next, slowly close your eyes. Keep your eyes closed for half a second. Then slowly open them again. Repeat this slow blink 20 times in a row. You will feel your eyes getting refreshed with each blink. Your eyes will also feel more lubricated.
(Source: Lenspure.com)
Jennifer Anton is a Project Coordinator with LAUNCH Together initiative at Jefferson County Public Health. LAUNCH Together works to improve social-emotional and developmental outcomes for young children and their families in Jeffco.
The Importance of Sleep
By Allyson Howe, MSW, July 1, 2020
Every day I vow to close my computer and turn off my phone before bed, and yet I find myself scrolling through the news and social media, trying to keep up with the world, even when my eyes feel too strained and head feels too tired. We are living through and bearing witness to a lot right now and all of this may contribute to challenges sleeping. You, too, might find yourself experiencing interrupted sleep. This is understandable, due to increased experiences of stress, uncertainty, and changes in routines. As we adjust, focusing on healthy sleep patterns offers huge benefits to our physical health, immune systems, emotional wellness and mental health.
What are the Specific Challenges to Sleep?
There’s a lot happening right now which could contribute to changes in sleep patterns. These include: disruption of daily life; increased anxiety and worry; increased experiences of depression and isolation; greater family and work stress; excess screen time; and stress-related fatigue. All these experiences may contribute to difficulty in fall or staying asleep.
Why is Sleep Important During a Pandemic?
Sleep empowers an effective immune system, heightens brain function, enhances mood, and improves mental health. High-quality, consistent sleep has proven physical and mental health benefits, which is even more important to highlight during the pandemic.
How Can I Get More Rest?
- Set your schedule and routine: Create some normalcy by establishing routines for sleeping, eating, work, getting dressed, and exercise.
- Reserve your bed for sleep: Help your brain and body associate your bed with sleep. Leave working for a desk or other part of your house.
- Exposure to natural light: Despite disruptions to other routines, getting time in natural light, even if it’s cloudy, benefits our circadian rhythm. Be mindful of screen time, especially before bed—the blue light emitted from electronic devices can interrupt the body’s natural sleep process.
- Be careful with naps: Short power naps can be helpful but be mindful of taking long naps or naps later in the day.
- Stay active: Regular daily activity can have numerous benefits, including improving sleep. Try a walk outside (maintaining safe distance from others) or tap into the numerous online options for activities.
- Practice kindness and foster connection: This can reduce stress, and improve your mood, which in turn impacts your sleep.
- Utilize relaxation techniques: Try some things that intentionally help you relax—deep breathing, mindfulness, phone calls with friends/family, listening to music, minimizing social media intake, and reading are a few examples.
- Be conscious of what you eat and drink: Specifically, be cautious of your intake of caffeine and alcohol, especially later in the day.
- Contact your doctor if necessary: This is especially important if you have severe or worsening sleep or other health issues.
Source: “Sleep Guidelines During the COVID-19 Pandemic”, the Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-guidelines-covid-19-isolation
Allyson Howe is the Youth Engagement Specialist with the Tobacco Prevention Initiative at Jefferson County Public Health.
The Power of “Yes, and”
By Allyson Howe, MSW
As humans, we have the amazing (and sometimes confusing) ability to hold multiple truths at once. Holding two truths at once can be a powerful tactic to accept your current state as it is.
We have often been taught, or fall into, thought patterns that suggest we can only hold one truth or emotion at a time. For example, take the idea that you cannot experience happiness and sadness at the same time. However, I know that I can be happy to be talking with my family more frequently and feel deeply sad about the situation of the world around me.
There is power in allowing yourself grace and withholding judgement from your multiple truths. For this, there is the power of “Yes, and,” which allows you to accept two feelings simultaneously instead of fighting one or both.
For example:
- I can be furious with the devastation from this virus, and grateful for our community that has shown unbelievable resilience and strength.
- I can feel fear and joy.
- I can be worried and hopeful.
- I can be proud of my work and want a break from it.
Using “yes, and” thinking can help with accepting any and all emotions, allowing you to move through them without resistance or judgement. Using “yes, and” lets you more accurately describe how you are feeling and allows you to feel grounded and validated.
What are some of your “yes, ands?" Remember, as the saying goes, it’s not about feeling better; it’s about being better at feeling.
Source: Psychology Today
Allyson Howe is a Youth Engagement Specialist with the Tobacco Prevention Initiative at Jefferson County Public Health.
Finding Solace in the Little Moments
By Nikki Work, Senior Communications Specialist, Media Lead, June 12, 2020
If you’re a pet-parent or a person-parent, few things bring you as much peace as a sleeping little one. From the way their small chests rise and fall to their silly, seemingly uncomfortable positions, there are few moments that feel as perfect as watching something or someone you care for sleep safe and sound.
I have a 14-week-old cocker spaniel mix puppy. His name is Chewie – after Chewbacca from Star Wars, but it may as well be after his propensity to gnaw on everything in sight – and his favorite position to sleep in is snuggled right against me, on his back, all four paws splayed around him.
Chewie is my pandemic puppy. I brought him home after everything with COVID-19 began, and shortly after I lost the first dog love of my adult life, a lab mix named Miles. He’s helped me cope with the grief of loss and the grief of lost routine. He’s been my best distraction and my best reminder that I could fall in love again. He’s also been my biggest challenge, even in the face of a global pandemic.
But there are nights (and sometimes lazy weekend afternoons) when he snuggles up next to me, kicks his feet out behind him and flops his head back, that things feel normal. I’m not staying at home because I have to – in that moment, I’m exactly where I need and want to be. I’m taking care of not just my puppy, but of myself. Watching Chewie fall asleep feels exactly like it felt to watch Miles fall asleep. It feels exactly the way it felt to watch my little brother fall asleep when he was a toddler 15 years ago. In a time when everything feels uncertain and things change so quickly, these little moments are not only welcome, but treasured.
Booker T. Washington once said, “Success in life is founded upon attention to the small things rather than to the large things; to the everyday things nearest to us rather than to the things that are remote and uncommon.” It’s the disproportionately large puppy paws or the way that children fight sleep, then drift off all at once or the laughter of a loved one (even virtually), that build resilience. The uncertainty of this situation will end, the grief will end, and it will be the things we brought with us into the COVID-19 crisis that we will take with us, too. Until then, we can take time each day to find solace in the little moments and the sleeping babies.
Convergence
JCPH Mental Health and Wellness Team, June 8, 2020
“Hurt feelings don’t vanish on their own. They don’t heal themselves. If we don’t express our emotions, they pile up like a debt that will eventually come due.” (Brackett, 2019)
In this moment, whatever feelings have come up for you are normal in the face of the societal upheaval we are experiencing—a convergence of a global pandemic, social injustice, the deconstruction of belief systems and actual systems and the loss of our schools, social activities and other supportive norms.
This is complex trauma and it can take a serious toll. Below are some suggestions and reminders of how to take care of yourself during this time.
Name the feelings you are feeling:
- Care for them and notice where they live in your body.
- Actively accept the feelings and sit with them for at least 10 minutes without trying to push them away.
- Share your feelings with someone else.
- Thank yourself for being authentic.
Engage all your senses to ground yourself in the present moment:
- Smell a candle or other scented item.
- Listen to music.
- Eat a nutritious snack and drink water.
- Use a stress ball to rub hands together quickly until they become warm.
- Look at a scene that brings you calm, such as a place you have visited, or look out the window.
Do activities that release toxins and bring you joy:
- Exercise. Do it while enjoying “the vast, great outdoors.”
- Allow yourself silence.
- Distract yourself with something you like — build, read, garden, cook, bake or be creative!
- Engage in mindfulness or deep breathing.
- Spend time with someone who you love.
- Help someone else in need.
- Make a list of things you are grateful for.
As we walk through this convergence of a public health crisis with systemic social injustice, it’s our human capacity for hope and resilience that pulls us forward and helps create new solutions, new norms and new ways of being in relationships with one another. But, to care for the world and for others, we must first care for ourselves. Find time for you today.
Source: Brackett, Marc, Ph.D. Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive, 2019.
Hope is Contagious, Too
Paulina Erices, Maternal Child Health Specialist and Jennifer Anton, Licensed Professional Counselor, May 29, 2020
A rainbow is a prism that sends shards of multicolored light in various directions. It lifts our spirits and makes us think of what is possible. Hope is the same – a personal rainbow of the mind. (Snyder, 2002)
As the ground continues to shift underneath us and we worry how long this pandemic will last, it may help to remember the power of hope in building resilience and reducing stress.
Charles Snyder, a researcher of the psychology of hope, found that hopefulness is a life-sustaining human strength that persists even in the most challenging of circumstances. Hope gives us a reason to continue fighting and believing that things will improve. Hopeful people believe that the future will be better than now and that they have the power to shape it. It is a mindset that moves us to purpose.
In Jeffco, we have already begun to see rainbows of hope emerge.
Adelante is a volunteer community-driven network of Latinx families and organizations formed in 2018. As soon as the COVID-19 pandemic began, the network mobilized a volunteer response. They provided one-on-one support to community members in accessing internet services and established daily community meetings to share information, connect and take deep breaths together. Believing they have the power to shape the future, Adelante has also deployed volunteer resource navigators and lactation counselors, offering telephone and online support to families in the community. Navigators have responded to over 200 calls per week.
The energy of the Adelante network is contagious as they have created and collaborated to build hope during this difficult time. Check out this video to see hope in action:
For more information about how you can get involved, visit Adelante Jeffco.
Share your stories of hope on Facebook and tag @jeffcopublichealth and we’ll highlight them here, along with general tips and lots of information on staying mentally healthy.
Source: C. R. Snyder (2002). Hope Theory: Rainbows in the Mind. Psychological Inquiry. Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 249-275.
Navigating the Waters of the COVID-19 Crisis — with a Life Vest
By Allyson Howe, MSW with Amanda Davis, LSW, May 21, 2020
When I was six years old, my parents took me white-water rafting for the first time. Ever since then, I have spent many summer days on the river.
What we are experiencing now reminds me of white-water rafting. This pandemic is like a river that we did not sign up to raft, but our life vest is there to keep us safe. When you first get in, it can be a shock — cold water splashes you and takes your breath away for a moment, before you become accustomed to the temperature. Once the raft is on the water, the river seemingly takes you where it will, before you learn how to paddle through the turbulence. At first this can be alarming. The boat bumps up against rocks, rushes down roiling water and gains speed.
The first time I fell out of a boat and into that churning water, I remember feeling the fear as I was immersed in the cold. But then, my training came back to me. As I bobbed down the river, I remembered the first rule: to keep your nose and toes up, to get air and not get a foot caught on the river floor. Soon, the water calmed and I was floating safely through placid water until a fellow rafter could throw a rope to safely pull me back in the boat.
This health crisis can feel the same. The river takes you on its course, until you remember that your life vest — your self-care strategies, your support system and your strength — helps you get air and steer to safety. There may be times, in fact, when the rafting trip feels exciting or enjoyable. If not, that’s OK, too.
Like my rafting trips, you too, can harness your knowledge and skills to manage this crisis. When the current feels too fast, lean into the waves. Allow yourself to move through emotions without being lost in them. Your vest helps you to float if you fall out, and your crew — or your support system — has your back. Use your coping skills when it feels too much. Let someone else paddle for a moment, if you need a rest. And when the river calms and is calm, lean back and look at the beauty of the trees and river bank as it goes by.
Allyson Howe is the Youth Engagement Specialist with the Tobacco Prevention Initiative at Jefferson County Public Health. Amanda Davis is a Licensed Social Worker at Jefferson County Public Health, where she supports nursing home visitation programs.
Gratitude During Times of Crisis
Jennifer Anton, Licensed Professional Counselor, May 7, 2020
Gratitude is an emotion similar to appreciation. Research has found there are many benefits of expressing thanks for our lives, even in times of challenge and change. That’s because gratitude activates the parts of the brain that is responsible for emotional experiences, the hippocampus and amygdala, in positive ways.
What are Some Benefits of Gratitude?
- Reduces pain: By regulating the chemical dopamine in your brain, gratitude fills you with more energy, thereby reducing subjective feelings of pain.
- Improves sleep quality: Studies have shown that receiving and displaying simple acts of kindness activates the part of the brain responsible for sleep.
- Aids in stress regulation: People who feel grateful show a marked reduction in the level of the stress hormone, cortisol. They have better cardiac functioning and are more able to bounce back from negative experiences.
- Reduces anxiety and depression: By reducing the stress hormones and managing the nervous system functions, gratitude significantly reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Ways You Can Practice Gratitude:
- Write it down. A gratitude journal is your personal space to record what you are grateful for. Return to your journal for daily inspiration.
- Share with a friend. Next time you talk to your friend, share two things you are grateful for during this crisis.
- Express thanks verbally or in writing to others. Pause and say thanks to one or two co-workers, family members or neighbors each day.
- Don’t be picky — appreciate everything. Even if it is as simple as appreciating the clear weather, your dog licking your face, food in the fridge or that your mail arrived today.
- Use imagery. Sit down daily and picture five things you are grateful for. The trick is that you need see it in your mind and sit with that feeling of gratitude in your body.
(Sources: Positive Psychology.com and Forbes.com)
Understanding Grief
Jennifer Anton, Licensed Professional Counselor, April 21, 2020
If you’ve been feeling a weird sense of discomfort (both emotionally and physically) during this crisis, but you can’t put your finger on exactly what it is, you might be experiencing grief. In an interview with David Kessler, world-renowned grief expert, The Harvard Business Review explored why we may all be experiencing grief right now.
Kessler co-wrote, with Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, On Grief and Grieving: Finding Meaning in Grief through the Five Stages of Loss. Kubler-Ross is most known for her theory of the five stages of overlapping grief. During a pandemic, we might go through a process of grieving as we let go of what we’d planned to do and the activities that bring us joy, connection and happiness.
Knowing the stages of grief can help us normalize the feelings we are experiencing.
- Denial – “This virus doesn’t affect me."
- Anger – “Why won’t people stop hanging out at the park?”
- Bargaining – “Okay, if I social distance for three weeks everything will be better, right?”
- Sadness/Depression – “I really wanted to take that trip to Costa Rica in May.”
- Acceptance – “This is happening. I have to figure out how to go on.”
Kessler says that we’re not just experiencing collective grief, we are also experiencing anticipatory grief, which is the “feeling we get about what the future holds when we’re uncertain.” And the process of grieving often goes back and forth between the stages rather than progressing one step at a time. Sometimes, people go from anger to acceptance to depression and back again. As people work through grief, the goal is to experience the loss, accept the reality, adjust to the loss and re-connect in life.
Kessler’s advice is to:
- Find balance in the things you’re thinking. If you feel the worst image taking shape, make yourself think of a better image.
- Come into the present moment instead of anticipating what might come. Breathe.
- Control what you can, let go of the rest. You can’t control your neighbor, but you can control washing your hands.
- Acknowledge and name the feelings associated with this grief. Emotions need motion in order to process them and find meaning.
- Stock up on compassion. People may not be acting like they normally do. Be patient.
- Acknowledge the open-endedness of this pandemic and know that it’s temporary.
Finally, recognize the difference between grief and depression.
- With grieving, you will still have moments of pleasure or happiness. With depression, the feelings of emptiness and despair are constant and might include an intense sense of guilt, thoughts of suicide or a preoccupation with dying, feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, slow speech and body movements or an inability to function at home or work.
- If you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms of depression, please reach out immediately for help: A couple good resources are Colorado Crisis Services or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Remember, grief is a normal part of loss so it’s important to let it take its course. In the movie Inside Out, the character Sadness says, “I like crying, it helps me slow down and obsess over the weight of life’s problems.” What helps you process the weight of the world’s problems? Lean into what that is.
Healthy Eating and Hydration
By Rakia Ranney, Registered Dietitian, April 30, 2020
Nutritional psychology is an emerging scientific field that examines the effects of nutrition on the brain. A recent study shows that a Mediterranean diet (rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and seafood) compared to that of a Western diet (high in refined grains, processed foods, sugars and saturated fat) can lower the risk of depression and anxiety, showing a correlation between nutrition and mental health.
This is an important finding because of the potential that nutrition has for reducing stress during difficult times.
Below are some healthy snacks you can add to your grocery list to help reduce stress and feel better:
• Fresh or dried fruit
• Bite-size veggies like carrots or cherry tomatoes
• Hummus
• Nuts and seeds
• Low fat plain Greek yogurt (no sugar added)
• Sugar-free applesauce
• Peanut butter and crackers, banana, celery or apples
• Nutrient dense carbs like beans, lentils and whole-grains
• Roasted chickpeas or popcorn seasoned with spices
Remember to hydrate, too! Did you know that our bodies are comprised of a little more than 60 percent water? If you want to be alert, have organs that function properly and reduce stress, you have to drink lots of water.
But how much water, you ask? That's an answer that is relative to the person and based on body weight, kidney function, climate and several other factors. Try this helpful tip: Take your body weight in pounds and cut that number in half for ounces you should drink. The body can get about 20 percent of our hydration from the food we eat, so don’t forget to include lots of fruits and vegetables to boost daily water intake.
Eat healthy snacks, drink water and feel better!
Rakia Ranney is a registered dietitian and lactation consultant for the Jefferson County WIC program. She loves working with families and children off all ages, from infancy and breastfeeding through childhood.
The Importance of Routines and Rituals in Times of Stress
Jennifer Anton, Licensed Professional Counselor, April 14, 2020
After several weeks trying to figure out working from home — some days more effectively than others — I decided, it was time to get serious about creating a rhythm to this new universe we are in. Routines and meaningful rituals reduce stress because they provide familiarity and predictability, something we are all in need of right now. A ritual is any repeated activity that has meaning for you. This might be lighting a candle in the morning, listening to quiet music, playing an instrument, doing yoga, reading or whatever calls you.
Creating a daily routine (and even printing it out and hanging it in your home) can be helpful. Be sure there is a rhythm to your day with clear beginning and ending. Here’s an example if you are working from home:
6 a.m. — Wake
6:15 - 7:30 a.m. — Morning reading & personal time; get ready for the day
7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. — Work, including scheduled breaks and lunch
5 - 6 p.m. — Exercise, stretches, letting go time
6 - 7:30 p.m. — Meal prep and mealtime (use this time to connect with family)
7:30 - 9:15 p.m. — Family/friend connection time, unwind, TV, relaxation
9:15 p.m. — Evening reading
9:30 p.m. — Bed
Give it a try this week and tell us how this is working for you. And remember to have grace with yourself, your family and coworkers, as disruptions will happen. As in most things, structure is helpful but rigidity is not.
How have you been connecting with your community and building resilience? What problems have you solved already? Share your stories of hope on Facebook and tag @jeffcopublichealth and we’ll highlight them here, along with general tips and lots of information on staying mentally healthy.
Tapestries of Hope - Finding Sources of Connection and Joy
Jennifer Anton, Licensed Professional Counselor, April 8, 2020
Over the past week, I’ve been encouraging my 16-year-old son, Nick, to join me on my mental wellness breaks, which usually consist of a short walk around the block and some stretches. I have become increasingly fascinated with the sidewalk chalk designs and messages of hope that are appearing everywhere.
Yesterday, we saw the most beautiful mosaic of colors, probably 8 feet by 10 feet drawn on the cement down the street. I said to Nick, “Wow, how did they do that?” He replied, “Seriously, Mom, you don’t know?” Then, he proceeded to open his phone to Instagram and show me picture after picture of amazing designs outlined with duct or masking tape, then filled in with chalk.
He asked me if I wanted to make one and I agreed, saying I thought I had sidewalk chalk in the house somewhere. So, instead of geometry homework, we created this. I think our written message — “One day at a time. You can do this! — was more for me than Nick. Kids and teens are so amazingly resilient, and this tenth grader definitely has no problem taking things one day at a time.
As I look at this and the other designs popping up around our neighborhood, state, country and even the world, it makes me think just how much we need to celebrate the tapestry of human kindness, joy, creativity, hope and encouragement emerging amidst this crisis. Where do you see artists and tapestries emerging? And how are you weaving resilience, hope and kindness into your lives?
Share your stories of hope on Facebook and tag @jeffcopublichealth and we’ll highlight them here, along with general tips and lots of information on staying mentally healthy.
Physical distancing with social connection
Jennifer Anton, Licensed Professional Counselor, April 2, 2020
Welcome to Resilience, a new blog series exploring topics related to mental wellness and coping during the COVID-19 outbreak. Here, we will provide weekly resources, tips and information on things like staying strong, managing stress and anxiety, working from home with kids, wellness breaks, creative ideas for connecting with others, mindfulness and meditation and much more.
Our goal is to create a space where Jefferson County community members can focus on staying mentally healthy, resilient and hopeful during these difficult times. Resilient people are aware of situations, their own emotional reactions and the behavior of those around them. With awareness, resilient people can maintain control and think of new and creative ways to tackle problems.
So, to get us started, let’s talk about a phrase we've all been hearing a lot about: "social distancing.”
I wonder if we can find another way to describe the temporary need for us to be physically apart so that we can get through this pandemic? “Social distancing” is a technical term that comes from the field of public health, but when the goal is mental wellness, it can seem confusing and unhelpful. Just last week, the World Health Organization came to the same conclusion and is now using the term “physical distancing.”
But, let’s take it one step further. How about “physical distancing with social connection"? That’s really what we need right now, isn’t it? You’re over there and I’m over here, but we’re still connected! We’re doing social things together like talking to each other, supporting and listening, sharing ideas, laughing, being creative, lending a hand and solving problems. It doesn’t matter that we are not physically together, because through these social connections we are aware of ourselves and others and are building hope.
How have you been connecting with your community and building resilience? What problems have you solved already? Share your stories of hope on Facebook and tag @jeffcopublichealth and we’ll highlight them here, along with general tips and lots of information on staying mentally healthy.
Jennifer Anton is a Licensed Professional Counselor and resident of Jefferson County. When not responding to pandemics, she works as a project coordinator with the LAUNCH Together initiative at Jefferson County Public Health. LAUNCH Together works to improve social-emotional and developmental outcomes for young children and their families in Jeffco. Visit JeffcoFamliesColorado.org for timely parenting information, news and resources for families with young children, prenatal to 8, in Jeffco.