We have the opportunity to use technology, science, and the digital access to information to help each other navigate today's torrential currents. There are a lot of rumors circulating around regarding COVID-19, and it's difficult to calibrate what's true and what's false. The pendulum swings in both directions: one day the media says things are getting better and the next they are dismally worse. So, how do we manage all of this conflicting information and the emotions that come along with it? How do we remain positive when the news is overwhelming?
First, stick with our initial guiding principle: ensure that you understand the truth by knowing the science behind your assumptions.
This principle might seem obvious, but unfortunately it isn’t for many. So let's do some myth busting. During a pandemic, it only makes sense to listen to the infectious disease experts (epidemiologists) and medical professionals in our society, yet so many people have turned the pandemic into a bipartisan political struggle. These medical specialists have been studying infectious diseases for years! Politicians aren’t doctors or scientists and they certainly don’t have the degrees or years of studying behind them. Wearing a face mask is not a political statement and only a minor inconvenience. Wearing a mask doesn’t affect your breathing and doesn’t compromise your body’s ability to intake oxygen or expel carbon dioxide. All of this boils down to caring for others and making sure we protect ourselves and others by wearing a mask. Ask yourself this: should people with respiratory illnesses be breathing on other people? The answer is quite simple.
Second, remain positive while using the resources available to you online.
During a time of uncertainty, using certain resources can help guide us through periods of high anxiety. Guided meditation or talking to a therapist online are both great ways to break-away from the daily news cycle. Limiting your time on social media helps, believe it or not. During this time, we have been overcompensating for our inability to socialize or get important news from friends and family by dramatically increasing our screen time. Sometimes, that news on your feed can be detrimental to your mood and will do more harm than good. If you can give yourself a time limit so you’re not going down a Twitter hole of negative news.
Apps we love:
Online therapy:
By Becka Roberts, Karen Toro and Leigh Teece, Beacon Media, July 9, 2020.
Tell us what resources you like best for uncertainty during this pandemic.