As the current Chairperson of the CHPA I would like to thank Aidan and The Irish Examiner for this excellent article highlighting the positive impact hypnotherapy has had on providing support for people suffering during the pandemic. The CHPA is leading the way in providing professional hypnotherapy services, with all members fully qualified, insured and Garda (Police) vetted.
With the easing of restrictions and suggestions that we are closing in on the final chapters of the pandemic, there are numerous reasons to feel optimistic that we may soon return to a ‘normal life ’.
Just imagine no face masks, no Covid tests and no more social distancing, sounds good , right?
Taking off a Face mask
However it’s understandable to feel nervous and anxious about this new transitional stage and the changes associated with it. Trust me you are not alone if you feel this way.
Our minds and bodies have been on “Red Alert” for a long time now about protecting our health and any sudden changes to our behaviour may cause fear and confusion and an increased risk of social anxiety.
We may feel that we are under scrutiny and overthink our interactions with others around us leading to even more anxious feelings.
Here are my 5 top tips for coping with the easing of restrictions:
1.Drop feeling guilty
It’s okay to feel anxious and by acknowledging and accepting this it will free up your feelings instead of bottling them up. Changes are going to happen and you don’t have to be ecstatic about it. Chat to friends and colleagues you may be surprised to find you are not alone feeling the way you do.
2. Pace yourself
It’s going to be strange for all of us for a while as we meditate our way from where we were to where we are going. Others might be happy to jump right back into work, pubs and clubs whereas others might not be too keen.
What is important is that you increase exposure at your own pace and find what is comfortable for you, such as , continuing to wear a mask for a while. Furthermore be honest and open about how you feel in a non judgmental way. It’s not about being right or wrong, it’s just the way you feel.
3.Dealing with peer pressure
It can be difficult to hold your position when others around you are doing something different and you are getting pressurised into conforming. However a good way to deal with this is to explain how you feel and that you appreciate the way they feel and all you are asking for is reciprocation. Just be like one of the dragons on “Dragons Den”, when they don’t like the deal on offer they say, “I’m Out”.
4.Be present focused
Our bodies are always present however our minds can be in the past, present or future.
Using mindfulness techniques such as, 54321, can really focus our minds on the here and now. This can be easier said than done so practice is key , the more you practice being present the easier it will become.
54321 mindfulness
5. Recognise your achievements
The last two years have brought on many changes, requiring adaptive behaviour at every turn. Just take time out to reflect on how you have managed this by being flexible in your work, family and social life. Nothing worthwhile is easy and by recognising you have come this far, all you need to do is trust yourself to keep going and be open about getting professional help to see you through to the finish line.
Some alarming statistics where nearly 20% linked to anxiety based disorders.
Get this quote from the paper :
Anxiety and fear-related disorders were a prevalent condition in our sample; they were also the second highest risk factor for death among the underlying conditions considered in our study.
I read this morning that more people have now been vaccinated compared to those who have COVID-19. This is great news. I know I’m one of those lucky people.
Necessity is of course the mother of all invention and with the continual roll out of the various vaccines that are available, or soon to be available, will tip the scales even further in our favour.
Or at least we hope so. For nothing can be certain with this virus as it mutates to survive. But science has shown it can get ahead of the curve, we just need our politicians and world citizens to acknowledge and accept that it is in all our (sanitised) hands to keep the scales in our favour.
I have dealt with unprecedented levels of anxiety throughout the last year and this gives me more than hope and positivity that things are going in the right direction. The numbers are an indication that we can manage this current situation , right here, right now, day by day, step by step. If we can keep going , collectively, we can all look forward to a better future.
Stay safe. Following the COVID-19 protocols for your place in the world. Remember the scales are now tipping in our favour.
Basil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers, BBC Television. (John Cleese)
Our lives might not seem to be moving quickly at the moment but they are moving at the same pace as yesterday, the days before that and the days to come.
The virus has however changed all our lives. Time has remained the constant that it always was but how we use this time as changed.
Before we probably didn’t think we had enough of it but now that has altered and we are not too sure how to deal with it.
Most of us like to have a degree of certainty in our lives and a sense of control over our choices and actions. This is being challenged as we are being forced into actions and behaviours that are not ours.
Therefore if we do not feel we own these choices, then our actions and behaviours are in conflict and that leads to confusion, disillusionment and anger.
Now most of us can put up with this sort of thing for a short while but when it drags on, with no real end in sight the pressure can begin to mount and with any excess pressure something has to give.
So what can we do?
1. Acceptance.
Ouch, really, we have had enough and you are saying just accept the situation we are in? Well yes I am, if we can accept the situation then we will not be fighting it anymore. Stressing ourselves out over something we cannot fix is no cure. By accepting where we are will allow us to see things in a different way.
2. Changing our perspective.
Now that we are no longer fighting the situation we can use the time, remember it is the same amount of time we always had, to review what is important in our lives and really see how we can get more of these things and ditch the ones that were really just filling space in our lives but not really adding any value to it. WARNING!!! This might be something that you have been putting off for years as you know the answers and they might not be palatable but now is the opportunity to clear the decks.
• Work : do really miss it, other than the paycheck? Is there something that you always wanted to do that you now have the time to tackle? Are you a music genius, a writer perhaps, an artist? No matter what now is the time to express yourself.
• Health: can you take the time now to review your health, stop smoking perhaps, cut down on alcohol, try a vegetarian diet, exercise more – become a yoga master twisting your limbs into pretzel shapes in no time! (remember to check with your physician before radically changing your diet and exercise regime)
• Wealth: How much is enough? How can you get by with what you have, review where your money has been going, can this now be trimmed and even can you do without things that never have been essential anyway.
• Relationships: This is a real challenge as in times like these, our relationships are under pressure but we need to know if we can get through this then we can get through anything. However it might be time to review those who have not been helpful and have been more of a drain on your energies and take the opportunity to say “sayonara”.
3. Comparison trap.
Stop comparing yourself to others, there will always be someone who is more attractive, wealthier, has a bigger car, has a bigger house, has something you don’t have. But do you really need what they have? Is it that important? Is it okay to just have what you have, now is a great opportunity to review this.
4. Future planning.
This situation will not last forever. It will end. Take this chance to see how you are going to live your life in the future. Do you want to go back to the way it was, but this is unlikely as social distancing and various health protocols might be around for some time to come. So now is the chance to plan a different life, taking everything above into consideration, now you can really plan for a life that is less stressful, less chaotic and just better as you have taken the time to plan your life.
Remember you only get one life, but rarely do you get the chance to review and reset it to the way it should have been in the first place. Now might be that opportunity. Seize the opportunity as this is something you can still control.
I come from a social psychology background and find how we act within and outside groups fascinating. This article highlights the challenges we as individuals face when presented with a crisis. We are currently knee deep, waist deep or up to our necks in it , depending where you live within our global village, in a pandemic that is asking us to confront our thoughts and behaviours.
So please read the article, give it a like , share it freely and ask yourself if you are going to rebel or conform?
”You’re far too close, stand back from each other, six feet people , two metres. I’m being serious, this is serious, very serious.”
It’s the reception area in a part of a Dublin hospital, small groups of health care staff are busy doing their jobs as they would every day, but the words stop people in their tracks. The words hit home, the mood changes, anxiety rises, just in case we weren’t aware- social distancing is a new reality.
The consultant doctor, whose words are above, is a respected, calm, erudite senior member of this team. He doesn’t scare easily, this is not his first rodeo, so just in case anyone was in any doubt, the corona virus Covid-19 , is not to be discarded as a bad cold or flu, his team is down 50% and the surge hasn’t arrived in Ireland yet. If they are anxious about social distancing then we all should be mindful of social distancing.
The words resonate with my experience , I travel to the hospital by public transport, the bus is usually packed, standing room only. But not at the moment, 100,000’s have been laid off work or working from home, caring for children who’s schools or crèches are closed. The bus is sparsely filled people observing seat distancing, trying not to get too close. It’s eerily quiet, the usual multilingual chattering has gone, transferred to internet chat rooms.
But not everyone has switched onto the need for social distancing, a young man sat behind me on the bus the other morning, more concerned with his mobile phone than being aware of the seat distancing all us other commuters were observing, not through any conscious pact on our parts or bus company policy , moreover just through common sensibilities about the current situation we all find ourselves in.
I chose to get up and get off the bus, I had a few choice words with the youngster, he didn’t care, I cannot be responsible for other people’s thoughts and actions, only my own.
Walking around the city brings it’s own anxiety, I see too many people grouped together, sitting far too close (6 feet guys, 2 metres please), walking two or three abreast. This raises my own anxieties, I have to cross over roads to avoid groups, stopping in doorways, turning my back to allow others to pass by. As an anxiety management therapist I know the damaging effects of constant anxiety- https://anxietyclinicdublin.com/anxiety-test-results/
I’m fortunate enough to be able to regulate my own anxieties, but just like the corona virus Covid-19 , I don’t have immunity from them, but I have solutions such as conscious breathing and mindfulness. Likewise we have solutions to contain the corona virus Covid-1, hand and general hygiene, avoid unnecessary contact and SOCIAL DISTANCING.
I’m now doing more work over the internet via Zoom and VSee, it’s not quite like the real one to one or group settings I prefer but it’s our current reality. A reality that might change the way we think about how we work and live and what type of societies we want both locally and globally. But that’s for another post.
So let’s be conscious of our actions and the impact they have on others, we can all ease our anxiety by slowing down and listen to sensible advice. I know I have: “…I’m being serious, this is serious, very serious.”
Anxiety Clinic Dublin 