Tragedy and loss can come at any time in many ways. Death of Loved Ones, Divorce, Significant Illness, Job Loss, Natural and Un-natural Disasters, Financial and Economic Crisis, Political Strife and Instability, War and Environmental Collapse can challenge our ability to care for ourselves and others. As a result of these significant stressors increased anxiety, agitation, physical fatigue and low mood often occurs.
These heightened physiological and emotional states can foster difficulties with maintaining proper self-care and with communication, problem solving and planning task especially in a time when these skill sets are most needed. These stress reactions can amplify any preexisting unaddressed personal self-care, relational, parenting, financial, home upkeep, work place or academic issues. These reactions if not managed
properly can precipitate significant illness and loss
What can be done
- Take timeouts with self-care whenever you are moderately overwhelmed or reactive
- Engage in non-habit forming coping, selfcare or focused task activities until you are physically, mentally and emotionally settled
- After arriving at a grounded state, identify and prioritize needs and flexible step by step plans for addressing those needs
- Make extra time for the sharing feelings and listening to the feelings of others
- Increase non-demand individual and relational quality time activities
- Avoid making life altering changes
- Maintain proper rest, diet and exercise
- Maintain an adaptive home routine for you and the family as much as possible