Tips to help you cope in a time of crisis
By Kim Palchikoff – No Stigma Nevada
During this time of national tragedy, I’m sure that hundreds of thousands of Nevadans are experiencing a crisis, especially since more than 200,000 have lost their jobs. The numbers are terrifying. As someone who’s lived with bipolar disorder for over 30 years, I’ve had plenty of crisis over the years, and have learned to cope with feelings like anxiety, fear, sadness, anger and hopelessness.
I wanted to share below some lessons that I’ve learned over the years with readers who may be experiencing overwhelming feelings as our state and nation fight this coronavirus.
Focus on the here and now.
You may be worried about what could happen down the road two or three months from now, but you should focus instead on the problems that need to be dealt with in the next 12 hours. Put everything else on the back burner. My mother, a therapist, reminds me of this often, especially when I feel overwhelmed by life. She frequently reminds me to get my priorities straight, put things in perspective and to write down everything that is bothering me. Then I prioritize the list of items and just focus on the one or two things that are immediately the most important.
For me it’s getting enough good shut eye. It’s a struggle, but at the end of the day, I tell myself that the day is over, I did what I could do, and tomorrow is a new day. I also focus on self care. Even though I stay inside all day, I make a point of ditching my pajamas for everyday clothes and spray on my favorite perfume. If nothing else, I smell nice during the day.
Consider purchasing a pill box.
When your mind is having a hard time concentrating or remembering things, which can accompany feelings of anxiety and stress, having your pills separated day by day saves you from recalling whether you took them or not. I like keeping my pill box prominently displayed on my bathroom sink counter.
Purchasing a 90-day supply of medication saves something else to think about – making repeated trips to your pharmacy or calling your doctor for monthly refills. Some insurance companies only pay for one month at a time, but at least the prescription is in. The online medication company GoodRX.com can provide discounted coupons worth looking into. FYI, you must show the coupon to the pharmacy on your cell phone or print it out.
Talk about your feelings.
The conversation doesn’t have to be with a mental health professional, who may not even be available during a crisis. It can be with friends or family. Even though people may not want to share bad news, or feel uncomfortable unloading their thoughts and feelings on someone, but having difficult feelings is normal.
If you feel that you’re in a crisis, get help. There’s nothing wrong with calling someone and saying, “I’m feeling down. Can I talk to you?” Sometimes all that’s needed is someone to listen, not necessarily give advice. I recommend letting the person know how much time approximately you need, because they may think you need a five-minute conversation, and agree to it, but in reality you need more of their time, and the conversation may have to end early because they have things to do and that can be stressful. Sometimes people may have more time the following day
