With South Australia now open, you are naturally going to have feelings of Stress and Anxiety. There is going to be increased chatter within the community about COVID, media are going to provide an obscene number of updates, while we all wait for the inevitable first case.
Businesses are going to provide rules about who can and can’t attend, and there will be strong opinions about these rules.
Here are some tips to help you when things become overwhelming or if you feel like you are unable to block out the noise.
Pause and breathe.
Take some slow breaths in through your nose, then slowly breathe out. As you breathe in, fill your lower stomach with air, as you breathe out notice how you are feeling and what you are thinking. Instead of responding or reacting to those thoughts or feelings, note them and let them go.
Keep to a healthy routine
- Go to bed at similar times every day.
- Keep up with personal hygiene
- Eat healthy meals
- Exercise
Turn off the Media
This also means social media. Try to reduce how much you watch, read, or listen to news that makes you feel anxious or distressed. Set aside time specifically to find out the latest information at a time where you are up to it.
Reconnect
Contact friends and family. Tell them how you are feeling and check-in with how they are doing.
Don’t expect too much of yourself on difficult days, accept that some days are going to be harder than others.
Happiness Matters Counselling remains a service to help you during times of stress. We can continue face-to-face appointments to those fully vaccinated or tele-appointments by phone or video to anyone.