The current challenges brought about by COVID-19 for people all around the globe are unparalleled and have caused fear, anxiety and uncertainty for so many of us. We all go through this together and it is important to understand that you are not alone in how you feel now, and that there are practical and healthy ways to deal with these emotions. The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented change and the need for a response from everyone in the world. Many of us worry about our loved ones and our livelihood, and there is no right way to cope with what we are experiencing. Remember, no matter how you feel there are others who feel the same. You are not alone. Here are some people's voices struggling to cope during this time. “Some days I'm okay, I'm doing my best to adjust. But yesterday I couldn't stop crying. This all just seems so unfair and I feel so angry that this is happening to us. I'm struggling to care for my kids and work at the same time as ...
Humans are social creatures but to stop the spread of COVID, the novel coronavirus, we all need to do exactly what we're biologically programmed not to do ‘social distancing’. We humans don't have big claws, sharp teeth, or hard shells to protect ourselves. We've evolved to feel safe by sticking together, therefore, a few things are more alarming to our systems than suddenly being alone. Just like how when we're deprived of food, we feel hungry, when we're deprived of social connections, we feel lonely. Loneliness just like hunger is a warning signal reminding us that we're not meant to be alone and encouraging us to form deeper connections. If we can't form deep social connections because we're social distancing due to a global pandemic, our bodies go into survival mode. We start producing more ‘Cortisol’ a stress hormone that keeps us alert to threats our bodies experience - more overall inflammation, a way to prepare to heal any injuries we might get ...