Still on Pause...For Now
It’s now been a few weeks since New York City and many other cities around the country have enacted quarantine and social distancing measures. Many playgrounds and parks are effectively closed, and many businesses have been closed for weeks.
Even as we try to make the best of things, it is impossible to ignore the collective trauma that the COVID-19 outbreak will leave us with and the struggles many people are currently going through.
It is normal to feel scared, sad, worried, or even angry during these difficult times. We are experiencing a loss on many levels - of human life, of a way we are accustomed to living, of a future we may have imagined, and maybe even trust in ourselves or others that we thought could keep us safe. We are still uncertain of what’s to come and how long this will go on for.
I wanted to provide some resources in case you are having trouble navigating day-to-day life under quarantine:
I recently wrote an article on MyWellBeing about physical symptoms of stress and some ways to relieve them.
A Healthline article talks about “anticipatory grief” and the feelings of loss we are experiencing and may continue to experience.
The CDC has a page dedicated to stress and coping
Forbes article about the stress of uncertainty
Free Qi Gong videos from Holden Qi Gong
We need to continue to stick together and do our best during these trying times. It’s OK if you don’t catch up on all the projects you set aside for a rainy day. The pressure to be working at 100% can be overwhelming and isn’t possible for most of us right now. It’s OK to feel whatever you’re feeling and not be “productive” in the way our society expects us to be. Call your friends and family and see how they are doing. Connecting with others reminds us that we are all going through this together.
It’s been a difficult time for me since I know how helpful acupuncture can be for the physical symptoms of stress and anxiety that many people are experiencing. I am eagerly awaiting the time I can return to practice safely and help people process this unique and highly stressful time we are moving through.
