Arbor Health | Arbor Health and Life | Summer 2020

Emotional and psychological trauma is the response to extraordinarily stressful events that shatter your sense of security, making you feel helpless. Often people associate trauma with events like war, personal injury and unexpected loss, but trauma symptoms can arise out of other events, such as a pandemic, too. It is normal to feel a variety of emotions during uncer- tain times, like concern about the health and safety of ourselves and our loved ones, worry over financial insecurity, and feelings of isolation, all of which can contribute to symptoms of depression, anxiety and grief. Living with grief Grief can occur from any loss, including loss of normal routine and expectations. During this time, it is normal for people to be experiencing grief and loss. Some of you may have been directly affected by losing a loved one to the virus and Tera Middlebrook By Tera Middlebrook, Behavioral Health Counselor 30 minutes of exercise daily . Even 10-minute spurts are fine. Exercise using both arms and legs (walking, run- ning, dancing). Practice mindfulness. Try deep breathing; write, create, express. Don’t isolate. Check in with friends and family via video calls, phone calls or writing letters. Practice good self-care. Get plenty of sleep, avoid alcohol and drugs, and eat well. Focus on what you can control. Focus on what you can do in a given moment, and let go of what you can- not control. Reach out for help. Many therapists are now offering telehealth to help get your mental health needs met. To find an Arbor Health provider, visit myarborhealth.org . Source: HelpGuide.org during a pandemic the loss of normal rituals of gather- ing to grieve with friends and loved ones. Others are grieving loss of a job, missed graduations, proms, sports, activities you were looking forward to, and separation from family and friends when connection is needed the most. David Kessler, an expert on grief, sug- gests that we take the time to name the discomfort and anxiety we are all feeling as grief. Grief manifests in a variety of ways; the stages of grief are not linear. “Ac- ceptance, as you might imagine, is where the power lies,” Kessler states. “We find control in acceptance. I can wash my hands. I can keep a safe dis- tance. I can learn how to work virtually.” This is not our new normal; this is a temporary state that we are all navigat- ing together. Help each other remember that feelings of grief, loss and trauma are valid and normal. Name your feelings and allow them to move through you. Get creative about how you connect with others. Get out in nature. See the list at right for some more options for managing trauma. Minding your mental health { { Tips for managing trauma MYARBORHEALTH.ORG 3