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Alexandra Isaacs 6/13/20 Alexandra Isaacs 6/13/20

Easing Back into Society with Less Anxiety

During this time when you are trying to stay safe but also getting back to exposing yourself more by being out in public, remember it’s okay to not feel okay.

Coronavirus – the news is everywhere and there never seems to be a break from it. You may have just gotten used to the shelter-in-place order, only going out for essentials, and learning how to handle the stress of being somewhat isolated from the life you were once used to.

Well, now that we’ve started opening up our economy and getting back out into society, this adds a whole new level of uncertainty and stress to what you’ve just been going through in the last 3 months. Once again, our “new normal” is changing!

During this time when you are trying to stay safe but also getting back to exposing yourself more by being out in public, remember it’s okay to not feel okay. You are not alone in this adjustment process, and it’s okay to seek help and support.

With change comes new strategies to help manage the latest anxieties created as we are trying to get back to an open society while still staying safe from this virus. You may need to adopt some new strategies and new concepts to help aid you in this next transition.

Go at Your Own Pace
As more businesses open and you become more exposed to crowds, your anxiety is bound to increase. It is normal and expected. Just because restaurants, salons, and malls may be re-opening doesn’t mean you have to rush to participate. Go at your own pace. Part of moving forward is knowing your boundaries – when it feels right for you – and accepting the risks at your own speed.

Some of your friends and family may be ready to put themselves out there more than you. There’s nothing wrong with setting boundaries with your friends and family members to let them know what you feel comfortable with as you explore this new phase of normalcy.

Let Go of What You Cannot Control
Focus on what is within your control and be alert of your surroundings as you venture out. Understand that adjustment is a process and, while it won’t look the same to everyone, flexibility and patience are needed. Anxiety comes from losing control, and we naturally feel better when we are actively in control of our own security and safety. It’s when we feel we aren’t in control, or are losing control, that anxiety rears its ugly head.

Stay Within Your Comfort Zone
As you prepare for this next step of transitioning between regaining more normalcy and staying safe, keep these thoughts in mind to help calm and steady you:

Stick to what works for you; everybody handles stress and anxiety differently so certain strategies work better for some than others
Only consult with sources of credible medical information - don’t overdose on the hype and misinformation
Take a break from the news as often as you can

Strategies to Calm Anxieties
Whether you are an essential worker or you have been completely sheltered in place since your state mandated it, there are some ways to relax and calm the anxieties that carry into this next phase:

Meditation. Regular meditation can be very calming. There are apps for you to use such as Calm and Headspace that can promote stress management, mindfulness, and ease anxiety.
Controlled Breathing. There are many forms of controlled breathing, and your therapist can help you determine what works for you. When you focus on your inner calm, you feel more centered and at peace.
Yoga. While yoga isn’t for everyone, sometimes trying new things can be a healthy distraction, and you just might find that you like it! There are many apps to try from the convenience of your home.
Be Your Own Advocate. Staying in contact with your friends and family, eating familiar foods, reading a good book, or watching your favorite movie are all ways to remind you that you do have some control over your life.

Not only are we still mourning the carefree ways we used to have, but we are also unsure of how the future will ultimately look, and of course, there is still fear of getting sick. We are all on this journey together, but the key is how you can help yourself and get the help you need from a professional so you can adjust to this new way of living.

At Mindsy Psychology, our therapists offer strategies to manage the anxiety created between wanting to get back to normal and staying safe versus the safe haven you’ve grown used to by staying home, or at least been more sheltered than before COVID-19. You aren’t alone in the adjustment process. It’s a new experience for all of us, and how much help and support you need is based on you and your personal needs. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. We are there to help you through these challenging times.

Due to COVID-19, we have currently transitioned to providing our Mindsy Psychology services via Telehealth platforms until we can re-open our Chicago, IL location. If you would like to find out about our services and how we can help you through this tough time, please give us a call today at 312.761.4747 or book a consultation online. Mindsy Psychology is located at 2202 N Lincoln Avenue, Suite 7, Chicago, IL, 60614.

Alexandra Isaacs 4/30/20 Alexandra Isaacs 4/30/20

Encourage Happiness & Positivity with These 5 Tips

While it’s okay to feel fear and uncertainty, you can naturally help to combat these feelings of helplessness by using some tools in your personal toolbox, setting small goals, changing your physical activity, and altering your routine so that it works for you.

If someone asked you 6 months ago about the chance that you’d be seeing a mass outbreak from a new virus, economic hardships, and sheltering in place, you would have thought it wasn’t possible.

Our whole world has been tossed upside down, and for some, that has more of an impact than it does for others. While it’s okay to feel fear and uncertainty, you can naturally help to combat these feelings of helplessness by using some tools in your personal toolbox, setting small goals, changing your physical activity, and altering your routine so that it works for you.

These tips can help you to start feeling better right away:

1. Set up a personal toolbox. Emotional tools can bring more power to you in the long run. Practice positive thoughts by either simply reflecting on things or writing in a journal. Each day, try to take at least 5 minutes to reflect and write down at least 3 things you are grateful for. There’s no right or wrong to this exercise, and you can even have some of the exact same answers each day. Focus on something you are grateful for – your health, your kids, a loving significant other, a safe home, a secure job, food on the table, a best friend, the warm weather, the blooming flowers, etc. The sky is the limit. It’s whatever you feel in your heart that you are thankful for that day. Using this positive exercise helps to overshadow the negative thoughts you may be feeling with good, fulfilling thoughts.

2. Set small goals. When you’re feeling down, it can also feel like you cannot achieve anything. Push back on those negative thoughts by setting small goals that are easily attainable – a 5-minute walk outside to enjoy the sun, cleaning just one shelf in your pantry, emptying that dreaded dishwasher, or even making that quick call to check up on an elderly neighbor or relative. As you feel better, you can add more challenging daily goals. Make a list! There’s something therapeutic about being able to check off something completed to make you feel like you’ve accomplished your goals.

3. Let’s get moving. Exercise temporarily boosts your endorphins, the feel-good chemicals to help you feel better about yourself and things around you. Take it slow and enjoy a short walk, a hike, even a workout at home. Remember: a 30-minute workout can boost your mood and enhance your immunity, and it can be more beneficial than a 1-hour “push yourself hard” workout.

4. Eat healthy and get enough sleep. Negative thoughts can tend to make you snack more and overeat. Reaching for healthy veggies instead of fattening snacks can help you feel better. Although nothing has been absolutely proven, omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish) and folic acid (found in spinach or avocado) can help ease sadness. Along with healthy foods, getting enough sleep is important. Find a soothing sleep routine that helps you – meditation, calming music, a consistent bedtime, and even skipping afternoon naps can all help improve on your sleep pattern.

5. Try something new. It’s easy to get in a rut, especially when you’re stuck at home or cannot get out like you used to. Challenge yourself to try something new or something you’ve wanted to try but never had the time. Pick up a book and read it under a tree, take a class or learn a language online, or learn how to crochet, draw, or paint. When we challenge ourselves to do something different, it alters the levels of dopamine, a brain chemical associated with enjoyment, pleasure, and learning.

When your life has been turned upside down, as it has these last few months, depression and fear can strip away your routine structure from your daily life. Setting a gentle schedule can help get you back on track. In fact, you aren’t alone in all of this. At some point in time, everyone can feel down or scared of the unknown. The goal is to find what works for you and to bring out the positive thinking that motivates you to start achieving what you want each day.

Alexandra Isaacs 4/24/20 Alexandra Isaacs 4/24/20

Get Through This Challenge of COVID-19 with Positive Emotions

No matter where you are in the country, the COVID-19 virus has seemed to dominate our lives. We wake each day to uncertainty, fear, and yes – cabin fever. Thankfully, human nature is designed to rise to the challenges that we face. However, it’s understandable that sometimes it’s hard to stay positive when we don’t have the luxury of daily interaction with our peers or the familiarity of our daily routines.

Positivity is a core ingredient for successful coping skills in the face of a crisis like this one. Now’s the time to be proactive about staying positive and creating small moments of joy and memories throughout our days. Making an effort to experience positive emotions will help to reduce the negative effects of stress.

Here are some useful ways that we can help nurture positive emotions to get us through these difficult times.

Appreciate the simple. Even if you are sheltered in place or not able to socialize as you normally would, there are small, simple moments to take from each day. It might be the smile or laugh of your child. It might be a hot shower without interruption. It can even be the smell of coffee in the morning. When you stop to appreciate the simple things, you’re giving your brain the opportunity to process the pleasure and boost serotonin – the feel-good neurotransmitter that brings calm and aids in elevating your mood.

Recognize the good in others. It’s normal for stress and crises to bring out the worst in people, but it also tends to bring out the best in others. Human nature rises to the challenge and you can find some amazing qualities in people. People are helping their elderly neighbors so they can stay safely inside, peers are posting positive messages on social media, and friends are reaching out to each other around the globe to check-in with each other. I see many aspects of the best of human nature being united by this coronavirus challenge. If you can, look to see where you can make a difference. A call to a neighbor, making masks for your community, even just a note of encouragement to someone can help you feel better.

Improve your relationships. If you’re in lockdown with your family, take the opportunity to create memories, spend quality time, and improve your relationship with your loved ones. Hug your kids or significant other, make eye contact, show them you value them, and slow down and have a long conversation with them. All of these gestures create intimacy and boost your oxytocin, a hormone that has a calming effect on your body and helps to emotionally bond people together. When oxytocin levels spike, your body turns off the stress hormone, cortisol.

All these things are great, but you may be asking yourself how these three exercises in mindfulness can help your overall mental health. By focusing on the positive, appreciating the simple things, and building your relationships, you can potentially change your brain chemistry while increasing your energy stores, giving you the strength to cope with other aspects of your day-to-day struggles that are more difficult.

Only you can decide to take charge of your mental health and focus on fostering positive emotions. In fact, the key resources to help get us through this coronavirus crisis are positive emotions, because they’ve been shown to do a number of things to improve your mental health.

1. Enhance your immunity: Studies have shown that among test subjects that had been deliberately given the flu virus, those with more positive emotions were more likely to fight off the symptoms, and those with less positive emotions were 2.9 times more likely to contract the respiratory illness.

2. Boost your resilience: Research has shown that positive emotions allow us to bounce back faster from a stressful event while enjoying better cardiovascular health, including lower heart rates and more stabilized blood pressure.

3. Clearer thinking: With positive emotions, we see an increase in our problem-solving abilities, better decision-making skills, increased cognitive flexibility, and enhanced creativity. Right now, between deciding when is the best time to return to work, figuring out new technology platforms as our children continue to learn from home, and deciding how much social distancing is enough, we definitely need positive emotions to help with that decision-making process.

We know that conditions are not ideal at this time. However, only you can take charge of your mental health in this “new normal”. Understand, it’s ok to embrace all of our emotions, negative or positive. It’s ok to feel scared and apprehensive. We don’t want to suppress our feelings, we need to address all of our emotions, and by doing so, we can learn how to use positive emotions to help us come out of this experience stronger.