Staying Safe Means Staying Sane – Virtual Therapy in COVID Insanity

How do we stay sane during a pandemic? It’s not just a rhetorical question. The CDC’s thinking about it and offering advice. And for good reason. In virtual sessions, my colleague Maggie Akstin and I are helping clients respond to unexpected financial instability, changes in routine, job losses, grief, and uncertainty about the future. These are all things that can understandably make calm people anxious and depressed – and can make people already vulnerable to depression and anxiety pretty fearful about their own sanity. Oh, and that brain fog you feel making it hard to get anything done? It’s real. So is moral fatigue, especially in places like Atlanta where politicians and public health officials are offering contradictory advice for us to sort through.

Here are a few suggestions I’m offering clients:

Seek out things that make you smile and laugh. Puppy cams and silly memes are two possibilities. It may be that you have a dog at home ready to help with this. Good boy, Harold!

Be realistic (and kind to yourself) about all the COVID projects you may be tempted to take on. Sure you *may* have more time on your hands – but what about your energy level? Do you really need to learn a new language right now? If you start something and then realize it’s adding to your sense of overwhelm, instead of helping you feel sane, then please stop or scale back. SMART goals are realistic, and what’s realistic for each of us today may be different than it would have been two months ago.

Pay attention to what level of news consumption is useful – and what level is making your anxiety creep or jump up. Experiment with which ways of getting the news work best for you and your sanity (podcasts vs. TV vs. internet vs. scrolling vs. newspaper). If you get notifications on your phone, consider turning them off.

Go outside. If it’s safe to do so, take a walk and spend some time intentionally looking around – find all the flowers you can find, notice the shapes of leaves on trees, and see if you can sense the movement of air on your hands.

During abnormal times, it’s normal to feel abnormal. Stop beating yourself up about it if you can (and it is easier said than done).

Finally, remember there is support available for you (including therapy). You may have always thought “I’ll never go to therapy” or “I’ll never need therapy” but you also may never have thought “will there be toilet paper at the grocery store?” These are humbling times. Don’t let pride or ego get in the way of what’s best for your sanity. (And by the way – most therapists – including us – offer a sliding scale. Reach out for details.)