Coping with coronavirus anxiety

[Mari]

I am amazed at how many people vacationed out of Canada in March! I am trying to avoid contact but I do have to go out occasionally and my stress level is disrupting my sleep. Did not cancel my appointment with the neurologist yesterday although I was given the option. I am glad I kept the appointment as it is now one less thing for me to worry about. Have groceries, medications, and TP so no need to go out. If it stops raining, a walk would be good. Wishing everyone well.

:hug:

 

[Daniel E.]

My right eye has been twitching on and off since this started Some of my stress was over though after my cruise was cancelled/refunded.

I have been catching up on movies at home. I saw Dark Waters, which is based on a true story of a lawyer finding the truth about a (formerly-used) chemical in Teflon, which poisoned workers at DuPont (with the company's knowledge) as well as local residents. Next is the Mr. Rogers movie.

 

[Daniel E.]

Coronavirus quarantine: 100 things to do while trapped inside

 

[Mari]

Next is the Mr. Rogers movie.

Thank-you for the reminder. Watched it last night - very interesting!

 

[Daniel E.]

Yeah, one of my favorite scenes was at the Chinese restaurant and the other was in the subway.

Sent from my LM-Q720 using Tapatalk

 

[Bumblebean]

I'm not experiencing anxiety for myself, but I should have a degree in worrying about the people I care about.

That being said, my PTSD hasn't been so triggered in 20 years. It's impossible to avoid hearing about conditions around the world as well as here in Canada. My imagination takes me into those places where people die alone and can't even have a decent burial.

Loss of independence is also huge for me. Because of my health issues (low immune + COPD with lifelong vulnerability to respiratory infection) it's not advisable for me to risk exposure. I take a daily walk down my driveway to take out any amount of garbage I can justify and sometimes stop to check to how far the soil has thawed because thank goodness I bought some flower seeds on impulse over a month ago, and the challenge of coaxing things to grow gives me something pleasant to focus on. But ...

I can't run even the most brief of errands, and there's no one offering to help (and yes I have contacted every agency I can think of and then some). If it comes to the pinch I could probably persuade someone to pick up a prescription, but with the people I know, favours are a one-time deal. Don't ask again. Delivery? Not without a credit card, and (e.g) the post office doesn't deliver.

So, cutting at long last to the chase, I suspect the next "what about ____" (all of which I have already explored) will be answered with a scream and a few rude words (I know people mean well, and no doubt i'm failing to communicate, but after a while of feeling not-heard I start feeling a wee bit cranky). The issue is simple: between having witnessed far too much suffering in my life and feeling helpless (rock, meet hard place), i'm wearing out all my anti-trigger tools. I'm getting stupid ideas like "just get it over with" (get on that transit bus, run your errands, and make sure your affairs are in order). Spectacularly stupid, even by my standards. There are places where normally I could go to "soothe my soul", but I can't get to them for the same reasons I can't go anywhere else. Why can I tell others that "things usually work out" (and in my experience they often do) but I can't take my own advice? There's no comfort even in looking at my own words on this teeny-tiny screen.

And why have I just rambled and ranted this long when i'm the one with the Ruby Slippers (Wizard of Oz)? I need to put everything I have into not dissociating or getting too depressed to move, and trust that resourcefulness everyone keeps telling me I have in abundance.

OMG ... I am soooo tired :-(

B.

 

[Daniel E.]

Nice to "see" you again, Bumblebean.

That being said, my PTSD hasn't been so triggered in 20 years. It's impossible to avoid hearing about conditions around the world as well as here in Canada. My imagination takes me into those places where people die alone and can't even have a decent burial.

I am often reminded of James Joyce: "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake."

 

[Bumblebean]

I am often reminded of James Joyce: "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake."

Perfect ��

 

[gooblax]

The Aussie government has encouraged people to work from home if they can. Of course my company has decided that we can't, because they're worried about covering their ass if there's any workers compensation claims. So they won't relax their procedure on working from home, which requires formal assessment of each home office against various WHS requirements..
If I catch the virus, I expect it will be due to a specific colleague who was still going out when he could (up to the point that bars etc were closed this week) and doesn't care if he catches it (he said he was "trying to catch it").

 

[Bumblebean]

This may be rather unkind, but around here your colleague would be considered to be a "special kind of stupid".
Is there a safe (anonymous or confidential) way to report the company? It's crazy-making trying to function in the circumstances

 

[gooblax]

Yeah he clearly just thinks he's invincible and thinks he'll be able to sit at home playing video games instead of working. I agree, it's pretty stupid even if he doesn't care about his own health he might want to be considerate of his housemate and girlfriend.

There's no good recourse for reporting cause the govt guidelines are all over the place (eg yesterday they said hairdressers appointments had to be limited to 30mins, now they've cancelled that limit... Lucky my industry isn't as easily disrupted as that). In normal circumstances I prefer working at work because I have a lot of trouble staying focused at home. In these circumstances I'm lucky to be working somewhere where I still have a job so just need to take it as it comes.

 

[Daniel E.]

This may be rather unkind, but around here your colleague would be considered to be a "special kind of stupid".

I noticed today on Youtube that a public health official in Ottawa said he did not want to lecture people. But then he proceeded to use the terms foolish and stupid and said that, basically, some people are asking for trouble and it will only be their own fault. It was hilarious since his demeanor was so laid back except for what he was saying.

 

[Daniel E.]

FACE COVID offers a set of practical steps for responding effectively to the Corona crisis, using the principles of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).

F = Focus on what’s in your control
A = Acknowledge your thoughts & feelings
C = Come back into your body
E = Engage in what you’re doing

C = Committed action
O = Opening up
V = Values
I = Identify resources
D = Disinfect & distance


More info:

FACE COVID eBook - by Russ Harris (PDF)

 

[Daniel E.]

Bird watching as another new hobby for some people now:


You Are Not Alone - The Telegraph

 

[Bumblebean]

I don't envy you

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Yeah he clearly just thinks he's invincible and thinks he'll be able to sit at home playing video games instead of working. I agree, it's pretty stupid even if he doesn't care about his own health he might want to be considerate of his housemate and girlfriend.

There's no good recourse for reporting cause the govt guidelines are all over the place (eg yesterday they said hairdressers appointments had to be limited to 30mins, now they've cancelled that limit... Lucky my industry isn't as easily disrupted as that). In normal circumstances I prefer working at work because I have a lot of trouble staying focused at home. In these circumstances I'm lucky to be working somewhere where I still have a job so just need to take it as it comes.

I don't envy you

"Funny" about salons ... I was just debating whether to get a tidy-up when covid decided for me.

If this ever ends, i'm going to be hugging everyone I see US loners got some serious touch deprivation going on

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Thank goodness for birds. And squirrels. I have spent years discovering the intelligence, social structure, & vocabulary of ravens. And marvelling at the brass squirrels have when defending their food territory again birds 4 times their size

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Clearly I don't know how to navigate the reply function.
Sigh.

 

[Daniel E.]

 

[Bumblebean]

I soooooooooooooooo got this