Coping with Social Distancing & Quarantine

Doesn’t it feel like we are living in a movie? As I am writing this it’s only been 7 days here in NV since closing all non-essential businesses and we have all been social distancing. California just closed their state and many others will be following soon. In our society’s current state of affairs surrounding COVID-19, you may find you and your family self-quarantined, in one space, hours on end, and feeling a bit “stir-crazy” or too “cooped up.”  During this difficult time, anxiety and depression may rise. For information on managing Coronavirus Anxiety, please read our blog 

Coronavirus Anxiety

At Richer Life Counseling, we are still seeing clients via online therapy and one thing is for sure, we all need to take care of our mental health. This is a distressing time and what took us to therapy in the first place, like our everyday problems, marital conflict, anxiety and depression, just to name a few, haven’t gone away. We might even be experiencing many new ones. Perhaps you already struggled with anxiety and now it’s at an all time high.  Perhaps you already felt isolated and feel even more isolated or a trifecta–anxiety-depression-isolation. We put together a list to help you all during this time. 

What to do when social distancing and staying at home 

Take this time to learn more about each other.  “Our Moments” conversation cards are a great way to begin.  They are designed to help couples and families connect, increase conversation and promote spending time together.  You’ll be surprised what you might learn about how family members feel and think. An important part of using these cards is to withhold judgment about the answers your family members give.  It’s about learning and connecting, not disagreeing or passing judgment. They can be found on Amazon.com.

Coping with Social Distancing & Quarantine What to do.

• Play games  (you can even play multiplayer games with other people via Skype, Facetime, etc.) 
• Complete a puzzle together
• Take this time to learn something new; take up a new hobby
• Use this time to clean, organize, and sanitize your house
• Finish those “started-never-completed projects”
• Read
• Take time to journal
• If you’re healthy, get outside.  Bike, walk, run, connect with nature
• Take a virtual field trip
  • www.freedomhomeschooling.com
• If you’re healthy start an exercise routine
  • https://lasvegas.fit4mom.com/
  • Do yoga, meditate, engage in mindfulness exercises (www.mindfulnessexercises.com)
  • For information on how meditation helps, check out this link https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/meditation
  • Run a virtual race.  https://www.virtualstrides.com/?utm_source=Bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Bing_virtual_races&msclkid=fc9b9dfb89041dd471c5c38c46fb9d6f
• Start a blog
• Plan a future vacation–this promotes feelings of hopefulness
• Continue to learn
  • KHANACADEMY.ORG / ACTIVELYLEARN.ORG / RPDP.NET are sites that students/parents can use for instructional purposes.
• Helpful sites for kids
  • www.science.mom
  • https://www.storylineonline.net/
• Socialize virtually – All of the following activities can be done virtually:
  • Cook dinner together – set up your screen to show the kitchen, demonstrate you cooking and talk to each other.  Share the meal together.
  • Happy Hour – Poor a glass of your favorite drink and talk to your friends while sitting at your own kitchen table. (Houseparty App is popular)
  • Play games – Video games & board games, 
  • Call people you haven’t talked to in awhile 
• Go to therapy and again, online (telehealth) sessions are offered at www.richerlifecounseling.com
• Think positive thoughts
• Watch funny movies–laugh!
• Listen to your favorite music
• Take a warm bath and use essential oils or bath bombs
• Use calm breathing to settle your body and mind. 

Virtual Tours

• Roman fort 
• Museums from around the world – Virtual, online tours
• Access to 500 Museums & Art Galleries – Free, online
• How to explore London’s top museums at home 
• Future Learn – Explore the architecture and history of Rome, walking around a 3D digital model of the ancient city, with this free online course.
• Aquarium – Georgia aquarium allowing you to tour under the sea
• Virtual farm trips – American dairy association
• Virtual field trips – Created for children, but they look great for adults too! 
• Edinburgh Zoo – Live streams: Panda Cam  /  Tiger Cam  /  Penguin Cam  /  Rock Hopper Penguin Cam  /  Koala Cam

 Literature online

• Gutenburg – Download free books, e.g. Shakespear, Edgar Allen Poe, Frankenstein, etc. 
• Solomon Kingsnorth – Books in PDF, Word and audiobook format – Alice in Wonderland / Wind in the Willows / The Railway Children / The Jungle Book / Peter Pan / Black Beauty
• Read great literature online – Free Ebooks, poetry, classic literature
• Read Free Literature – also includes study guides
• 50,000 free ebooks – arranged by genre
• Open Library Access – Free
• Audible – Free for this period – Available in 6 languages

Be Aware 

It’s important to recognize that you may get one each other’s nerves. Make a plan to communicate needing some time alone so you don’t “blow up.”  Engage in pleasant activities that help you calm your mind and body and avoid binging on social media and news. 

The anxiety surrounding this time of COVID-19 is real and it’s contagious.  If it’s difficult for you to go to the store and see empty shelves, enlist the help of others who manage the anxiety differently.  Use ship-to-home and curbside pick up options.

We understand how confusing the world seems right now.  Remember how much you matter–stay aware–stay healthy–stay positive.

“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” – Thich Nhat Hanh