Anxiety and Social Distancing during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Hi, I'm Lisa, Site Director of Houston Swim Club Sugar Land.

For those of you who don’t know me, I have been living with anxiety and depression for the last 20 years. Throughout this time, I have attended many counseling sessions as well as group programs where I learned a few skills and routines to help me get through panic attacks.

I know in the past, mental health was not talked about much in a social environment. If a friend or family member had depression or anxiety, it wasn’t discussed much in the open.

I don’t know why so many felt it was an embarrassing topic to talk about, but it was. I know I felt the same way when I was first diagnosed. But as time went along, given the right tools and getting professional help has made living with depression and anxiety a little easier.

As someone who thrives on routine and going to work on a day to day basis, this COVID-19 pandemic has increased my anxiety tremendously. After getting professional help and practicing the tools given to me, it has become easier to live with and talk to others about my illness.

Without receiving the necessary help, there is no way I would be able to get through our recent situation. It is because of COVID-19 that I am speaking out to those with depression and anxiety and how we are affected by this stay at home order and social distancing.

As one that thrives on routine and social interaction to get through the dark patches of my day, I can’t tell you what this pandemic has done to my Mental Health. Some days are worse than others. On my worst days, it feels like the walls are closing in and everything goes dark. My stomach gets in knots and my body tenses up to the point that my skin feels like it is on fire.

Sometimes when I am feeling really anxious, my heart begins to race to the point I get light headed. Luckily, I have been able to think back to my therapy sessions. I want to share some of the tools I learned. Some of the things I’ve listed work for me and some don’t. If any of these things can help just 1 person, I feel it is worth it to share my story.

Here is a list of things that are currently working for me when I feel anxious:

Take a long deep breath and hold it for 10 seconds before letting it out. (Repeat this 5 X)
Think of a poem that you can recite and repeat very slowly a few times until you feel calmer. (I usually recite the Lord’s Prayer until I feel peaceful)
Listen to some instrumental music in a quiet place (using headphones is very useful)
Take a bubble bath with Epsom salts
Go for a walk, jog or exercise
Keep a bedtime routine and wake up at a decent time
Reach out to friends and family members on a regular basis
Coloring or do a puzzle
Sitting, reading, or listening to music OUTSIDE

Below is a list of things I am trying to avoid during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Watching the News and reading Social Media articles constantly about the recent health scare and restrictions across the nation
Sleeping all day
Isolating myself
Listening to negativity - from others and myself
Fixating on things I cannot control

Remember, there are many people out there suffering in silence with Mental Illness. If sharing my story helps even one of you, then I am blessed to have been able to share my story. Today, with all that we are going through during the COVID-19 Pandemic, we all need some sort of human interaction, more than you know. Especially our children. They don’t understand why they cannot play with their friends or go to school or even swim lessons. Their daily routine has been shattered by this virus. It is up to us as adults to stay mentally healthy so that we can be present for our children.