During these challenging times, it’s normal to be experiencing increased anxiety. Everyone is! And if your baseline is regularly higher in anxiety or hyperarousal, this will feel like even more to you!
If you have a past trauma history, you may feel yourself triggered more often than usual. You may not understand what those triggers are yet or where they are coming from. You may just be feeling feelings so big, and those feelings may be familiar to a time in the past you have felt powerless or helpless, trapped or scared. You may crave some relief—some way to feel less badly. You may be using, or feel compelled to use, unhealthy coping mechanisms that no longer serve you.
Resources for understanding the use of unhealthy coping mechanisms:
Do You Use Drugs and Alcohol to Manage Your Emotions?
Why People With Eating Disorders Need Our Compassion
Today I want to remind you that you have a choice. Of course, there are many things you can’t control during a global pandemic, but there are many you can control or at least manage.
There are things that will feed or exacerbate the stress and anxiety you are feeling right now—and things you can do to reduce it.
My suggestion is to empower yourself to make choices that support your safest, calmest, healthiest self. It’s time for you to receive the nurturing you deserve!
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