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The fear, anxiety, grief and worry during and after a stressful situation can be overwhelming to people and the community. But out of crisis comes an outpouring of response to provide support for mental and well-being of those who are vulnerable and people in the frontlines during and after the COVID-19 outbreak. Here are some of them.
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By: AdélaÏde LefèvrePsychologist
As volunteers in confinement, your mission is to help the community but it’s important to help yourself to feel more mentally available for them. Facing this situation, your emotions can be more intense than usual and you can : (a) feel fearful of losing control over an unknown situation; (b) feel isolated or lonely, sad or demotivated; (c) feel angry or frustrated; (d) feel anxious and uneasy; and/or (e) feel guilty not to help enough.
These emotions are normal in this abnormal situation which is temporary. Emotional regulation can be more difficult and few habits can help you to regulate your emotions and to cope with stress. Here are few tips to manage your emotions : Practice deep breaths to reduce tension and anxiety
Sit in a confortable position, feet on the floor, legs uncrossed.
Inhale deeply through noise counting 3, then hold for 3 seconds and exhale 3 seconds through noise. Imagine the fresh air going inside your body. You can do it 3 times and go back to your normal breath. You can practise it 3 times a day.
Keep physical activities
Your mental health balance is related to your physical balance. In small rooms or in community, this can be more challenging but you can follow the 20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, you can move 20 steps for 20 seconds. Some activities don’t request space, for example yoga, which is easier to practice.
Keep eating and sleeping routines
Your body and you mind still need to recover energy.
Regulate your eating balance: eat regularly without skipping meals and try to have simple but healthy food (fruits, vegetables, …). To preserve your sleep quality: avoid tv or computer screening 30 minutes before sleeping, use breathing exercise if needed to help you free your mind. Give you some breaks and creativity moments once a day
Use art (drawing, painting, recycling DIY, …) or games (solitaire card games, puzzles or board games if you are in community) to reduce tension, create positive vibes and laugh. Playing or art crafting are a very efficient way to relax, clear mind and help your mental health balance.
Set your “new” limits and accessible objectives
The confinement situation is changing what you can do or not. Your previous objectives may need reassessment to fit with the new constraint. Small steps in a day can help you more to feel comfortable, efficient and capable to do things. When you have an objective, ask yourself “how I can do it in this situation”. Nobody was prepared to this situation, you are in a learning process: learning process can request more time, several trials before success! It’s a reframing process.
Be compassionate with yourself
Help you by using kind words and positive reinforcement to yourself. Do with yourself what you do with people you help in your volunteering mission. Imagine each time what you would say to your beneficiaries in this challenging situation and rephrase it to yourself.
Keep connected with people
Connection is important to feel less isolated. At least once a day, connect with close people to share. It can be before you start your day or at the end of your day. This connection help to reduce the feeling to be isolated even if it’s only virtual! Create distance connection and relationship is important to fuel ourselves with love and care.
If you feel mentally overwhelmed, emotionally drained or hopeless, ask for help
You are not alone and you can find support. You may need to talk to people or seek for professional help. It’s not being weak or mad to talk to a psychologist or a counselor. This can be the answer in this difficult moment to help you to cope.
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Isinulat ni: AdélaÏde LefèvrePsychologist Isinalin ni: Gazelle Serrano
Tagalog Version
Bilang isang volunteer, mahalaga ang misyon mong makatulong sa iba, pero kaakibat din niyan ang kahalagahan ng pagkalinga sa iyong sarili. Narito ang ilang self-care tips na maaaring makakatulong sa pangangalaga ng iyong kalusugang pangkaisipan at kaligtasan habang nasa gitna ng krisis.
Sa kinakaharap nating sitwasyon, posibleng mas malakas ang bugso ng mga damdaming iyong nararamdaman at maaaring kaakibat nito ang:
Pagpapakalma ng tensyon at pangamba
Humanap ng komportableng posisyon. Siguraduhing lapat ang iyong paa sa sahig.
Dahan-dahang huminga papaloob (inhale) sa loob ng 3 sigundo. Padaanin ang hangin sa ilong. Maghintay ng 3 sigundo bago huminga papalabas (exhale). Pagkatapos nito, dahan-dahang huminga papalabas sa loob ng 3 sigundo. Habang humihinga, bigyang tuon ang hangin na unti- unting pumapasok sa iyong katawan. Pwede mong gawin ang paghingang ito nang tatlong beses bago ka bumalik sa normal na paraan ng paghinga. Praktisin ito nang 3 beses kada araw.
Importante ang ehersisyo
Magkaugnay ang kalusugang pangkaisipan at ang pag-eehersisyo. Maaaring sundin ang 20-20 rule kung may sapat na espasyo sa bahay mo: kada 20 minuto, lumakad ng 20 hakbang sa loob ng 20 sigundo. Kung sakali namang walang sapat na espasyo para gawin ito, maaari rin mag-push-up, sit-ups o jumping jacks na lamang, o kaya naman ay mag-yoga.
Sundan ang wastong iskedyul ng pagkain at pagtulog
Nangangailangan ng sapat na pahinga ang iyong katawan at isip. Kumain sa tamang oras ng mga pagkaing mabuti sa katawan, gaya ng prutas at gulay. Para naman mapanatili ang iskedyul ng pagtulog, iwasan ang panonood ng T.V. o paggamit ng cellphone 30 minuto bago ang nakatakdang oras ng pagtulog. Pwedeng praktisin ang nabanggit na paraan ng paghinga sa #1 para mapakalma ang sarili bago matulog.
Maglaan ng oras sa paghinga at malikhaing gawain
Lumikha ng art o sining (sa pamamagitan ng pagguhit, pagpinta, pagkanta, atbp.), o kaya naman ay maglaro (baraha, puzzles, board games, atbp.) para mabawasan ang anumang tensyon na nararamdaman at sa halip ay mapalaganap ang good vibes at kasiyahan. Nakakatulong ang mga aktibidad na ito sa pagpapakalma at pagpapalinaw ng damdamin at kaisipan. Itinataguyod din nito ang kalusugang pangkaisipan.
Magtalaga ng abot-kayang goals o layunin
Maaaring nabago ng kasalukuyang krisis ang mga bagay na pwede mong magawa. Posibleng kailangan mong baguhin ang mga pamamaraan mo ng pagkamit sa mga layunin na iyong pinagsusumikapan. Pwedeng hatiin sa ilang maliliit na hakbang ang mga gawain para maging komportable ka at mapagtagumpayan ito. Kung mayroon kang layunin na gusto mong maisakatuparan, tanungin ang sarili, “Paano ko maisasakatuparan ito sa kabila ng sitwasyong kinakaharap ko?” Tandaan na walang sinuman ang ganap na nakapaghanda sa krisis na ito at lahat tayo ay nasa proseso ng pag-adjust. Unti-unting pag-aralan kung paano mo ma-aakma ang mga aksyon mo sa kasalukuyang sitwasyon.
Mahalin ang sarili
Iwasang mong husgahan ang iyong sariling kalagayan. Sa halip, pairalin ang pagkalinga sa sarili kagaya ng iyong pagkalinga sa mga taong tinutulungan mo sa iyong volunteering mission. Isipin ang mga mapagkalinga at malumanay na salitang sinasabi mo sa mga taong iyong tinutulungan, at subukan mo din sabihin ang mga ito sa iyong sarili.
Panatilihin ang pakikipag-ugnayan sa ibang tao
Importante ito para maibsan ang kalungkutan at pag-iisa. Makipag-usap sa mga taong malapit sa iyo kahit isang beses man lang kada araw. Pwede mong gawin ito bago mo simulan ang iyong araw o kaya naman bago ka matulog sa gabi. Makakatulong ang pakikipag-usap kahit pa sa text, chat o video call mo lang gawin. Importanteng maramdaman at maipadama mo rin ang pagmamahal at pagkalinga sa mga taong malapit sa iyo.
Humingi ng tulong sa propesyunal kung ika’y mentally overwhelmed, emotionally drained o nakakaramdam ng kawalan ng pag-asa
Hindi ka nag-iisa dahil may handang umagapay sa iyo. Maaaring kinakailangan mong makipag-usap sa iba o kaya ay humanap ng propesyunal na tulong upang malampasan ang mga kinakaharap na pagsubok.
Isinulat ni: Rolito DuabanPsychologist Isinalin ni: Gazelle Serrano
Tagalog Version
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