By Wayne Pollard, LICSW

There certainly is a lot going on in our world today with the COVID-19 Outbreak. In a matter of just a few days we have experienced monumental changes with the way we live. With change comes stress. With stress comes anxiety. Anxiety of the known and unknown can seem to appear out of nowhere. With the constant changes in the way you live during this pandemic, it is important to monitor your mental health. So, what can you do?

We are social beings. We enjoy getting together with family and friends. With the country rolling out social distancing measures we can find ourselves feeling more isolated. Finding ways to be social, while being physically distant, is challenging but necessary at this time. Making phone calls to check in on loved ones and using Skype, FaceTime and other social network apps to be able to actually see others can increase your sense of connectedness during this time. Reach out by phone to your local church or civic organization to see how they are going to continue services and stay involved from a distance.

Manage your anxiety. Managing your anxiety is extremely important. Here are some tips to help during this time—take breaks in the day to practice deep breathing and visualize a safe/calm place (could be a favorite spot of yours such as a hiking trail, beach, mountaintop, etc.), avoid excessive exposure to media coverage, and connect with loved ones. For kids at home, reassure them they are safe, let them talk about their worries, limit their exposure to media and create a routine and structure for them. When creating structure, involve your kids in the process which will increase their buy-in.

Exercise. Participate in daily moderate exercise (as much as you can physically tolerate) and encourage daily physical activity for the kids at home (while being mindful of physical distancing). Taking a short walk while social distancing can be just what you need to hit your reset button. Take your family pet on a daily walk. You’ll both love it. Exercise boosts your mood, increases relaxation, and alleviates stress, anxiety and depression.

And, in the end, have fun! Schedule time to unwind and enjoy something you love to do—watch old movies, play board games, make an old family recipe, build a blanket fort or tent, play balloon volleyball, watch your favorite stand-up comedian or funny sitcom, read a great book or look at old photo albums. Find pleasurable activities to enjoy on your own or with someone who lives with you. What matters in the end is to take a mental break and to just have some fun!

If needed, get help. If you feel like stress is becoming more than you can handle on your own, reach out to community organizations to get help. In Dayton, you could contact Columbia Family Clinic or Blue Mountain Counseling and in Waitsburg you could call the Waitsburg Clinic to receive more help during this stressful time.

Let’s all look for opportunities to support our families, friends and neighbors while utilizing social distancing during this time. We can do this together!