COPING WITH COVID-19
A public health emergency, such as the COVID-19 outbreak, can cause anxiety and stress for those working in health care when they are separated from friends and family members – at home and abroad. How can we support you? What do you What do you What are your need support need support concerns? with? with? Who can help and how?
As a health care provider, you are experiencing significant stress and anxiety at work and at home Working in healthcare can be isolating and stressful. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Everyone reacts differently. Being separated from others can be stressful even if you do not get sick. Many people are using social distancing and are in self-isolation before returning to work if they have travelled or been in contact with someone who may have been exposed to COVID-19. 3
We will each experience stress in different ways during the pandemic. Try to be non-judgmental of yourself and others Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones Changes in sleep or eating patterns Difficulty sleeping or concentrating Anxiety and intrusive/repetitive thoughts Worsening of chronic health problems Stress from the experience of monitoring yourself or being monitored by others for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 Sadness, anger, or frustration because friends or loved ones have unfounded fears of contracting the disease from contact with you even though you have been determined not to be contagious Guilt about not being able to perform normal work or parenting duties Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs New emotional or mental health changes such as anxiety and depression Children may also feel upset or have other strong emotions if they, or someone they know, has been sick or isolated 4
Your everyday coping skills & the support of coworkers and employer can help during this stressful time Rea each ou out t to o som omeone e you ou trus trust, you our sit ite e soc ocia ial wor orker, or or HR HR Rep ep. Fin ind com omfort in in you our personal belie liefs and spiri iritual practices. Stay con onnected with ith oth others th through FaceT eTime, SnapChat and oth other apps, texting, em email. If If str tres ess gets ts in in th the e way of of you our daily ily activ ctivitie ies for or sever eral days in in a row, rea each ou out t to o you our per ersonal l hea ealth lth care provid ider and doc octor. Con Connect with ith res esources on on th the e la last t few pages. Healt He lthy cop oping skills ills overcome e daily ily ch chall llenges & em emergen encies. Healt He lthy cop oping skills ills cr crea eate good ood men ental l hea ealth lth & fee eeli lings gs of of hop ope . 5
Focus on the 4 domains of wellness by using the coping skills you already have
Focus on Pra ractic ical l St Steps Hand washing Use of hand sanitizer Regular cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces Not sharing dishes, utensils, or other items with people in your home Staying at home if you are not feeling well Coughing or sneezing with a tissue or into your sleeve Limit contact with people and avoid having visitors Follow the direction of community health leaders Dr. Deena Hinshaw Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health 7
Focus on Th Thoughts of f Sa Safe fety Keep in mind the situation is temporary and eventually things will return to normal. Focus on the positive. There is effective care for COVID-19. People are recovering. If you are in self-isolation, look for opportunities to stay connected with family and friends. After recovering, people are going on with their lives, jobs, families, and loved ones. Find comfort in your spiritual and personal beliefs. Maintain your regular routines as much as possible. Talk about people working hard to prevent the spread of illness and how you and your child can help protect yourselves and the community – such as good handwashing, coughing or sneezing into your sleeve. 8
Focus on Th Thoughts of f Sa Safe fety (cont’d) Use healthy approaches and skills you have used in the past to help you cope with stressful situations – keep up health behaviours that have helped in the past. Get timely and accurate information from credible sources such as http://www.alberta.ca/coronavirus-info-for-albertans.aspx. Focus on the positive feelings created when you do things such as exercising, eating healthy, writing, organizing, and sleep. Limit the amount of time and set specific times, such as the morning or evening for watching, reading or listening to news about COVID-19. Focus on getting information that will help you take practical steps to help you prepare to protect yourself and your loved ones. Taking in too much or constant information can cause you or those around you to feel worried or anxious. 9
Focus on Posit sitiv ive Routin ines & Activ tivit itie ies Keeping your regular household routine is important. Continue doing regular activities such as having family meals, bedtime routines, games, movies, faith activities, keeping physically active, listening to music. Routine provides children a sense of safety and security. Holding and comforting your child helps them feel safe and secure. If children are confined to home, encourage children to play and socialise even it if it is only within the family when advised to restrict social activities. Focus on what needs to happen today and make a list of what you need to do in the day or week to keep yourself safe and comfortable. 10
Focus on th the connectio ion and care re of f your chil ildren, , fa famil ily, and fr frien iends • During stressful times, it can be common for children to seek more attachment or be more demanding of parents. Coping with COVID-19 calmly and confidently can help support your child. • Check in with your child, encourage questions to make sense of the current situation. • Discuss COVID-19 with children honestly using age-appropriate information. • Start by asking your child what they know about this situation. • Pay attention to what your child says and really listen with your head and heart. • Encourage them to talk about feelings and thoughts. If they have difficulty expressing their emotions in words, help them express their feelings through creating such things as drawing or music. 11
Focus on th the connectio ion and care re of your children, family, and friends (cont’d) Accept their feelings without judging. Emotions come and go. It is okay to feel sad, upset, or distressed. In most cases, these feelings won’t last long. Explain social distancing means limiting not stopping your public interactions. Correct misinformation. Avoid telling them not to worry. The goal is to help your child realistically evaluate risk based on reliable information. Focus on how they can protect themselves and others from getting sick. Ask your child to come to you if they have questions or concerns. Provide comfort and be patient. Check on your child’s feelings on a regular basis. Reassure children especially at bedtime. Children will watch adult behaviours and emotion for examples on how to mange their own emotions during during difficult times. 12
Focus on You!! Be Be min indful, paying atten ention to o you our th thou oughts, fee eelin lings, and bod ody sen ensations. Th This is can help elp you ou understand why you ou are e fee eelin ling anxi xious or or str tressed. I If f you ou notic otice, you ou are rea eacting in in ways th that t fee eel l dif iffic icult lt to o calm lm on on you our own, see eek support fr from som omeone you ou trus trust or or you our healt lthcare provid ider. 13
Do you feel you are struggling and things aren’t improving? If stress gets in the way of your daily activities for several days in a row, reach out to your site social worker, your HR advisor, your coworkers, family, friends, and your personal health care provider. Support can help you find a way through feelings or situations. If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel you want to harm yourself or others support and help are around you. 14
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