I’m a Therapist, I Have COVID-19. Here’s How I’m Coping…
Ginger Houghton, LMSW, CAADC
So, like everyone else in Michigan, I’ve spent the last two months hunkered down. I’ve also spent it battling the very odd symptoms of Covid-19, helping my therapy patients and figuring out how to teach my kids at home. Eeekkkkk!!!!
Cough, cough, cough. It’s been humbling and frustrating and enlightening. Here’s what I’m doing to cope and find the bright spots.
1. I’m taking everything moment-by-moment. The type-A, anxious parts of my brain fired up in all of the corona craziness! I want my kids to be doing all their homework (exceptionally well), learning new skills, and being 100% peaceful at all times.
That is not my real life or their real lives. Instead, we’re trying to give each other the benefit of the doubt, understanding that we will never agree on who is the most epic superhero and being flexible with homework. Some days all of us have been too sick, too frustrated or too moody to complete the work for the day. Instead, we’re trying to catch up when it feels less stressful and have the most fun we can.
2. I’m relying on my deep breathing skills more than ever. When you’re diagnosed with coronavirus, many doctors are assigning breathing exercises to combat some of the respiratory symptoms. I’m so grateful for years of teaching and practicing deep breathing. It has given me a sense of control over the respiratory symptoms and anxiety that comes along with the diagnosis.
3. I spend more time outside. The chest pains and soul-crushing fatigue that come along with coronavirus are so strange that it’s been oddly recharging to breathe outside and see something other than reminders of the home improvement projects on my list. (Please know, I’ve officially put away my list for the next few weeks.)
4. I rest more. Anyone who knows me is aware that I love to sleep but I’m not so skilled at just resting. Coronavirus has helped/forced me to be more attuned to what my body needs and that’s looked like random naps at odd times.
5. I’m grateful more often. I feel so grateful for all the family and friends who have reached out and dropped off art supplies or food or dark chocolate bars. I experience so much gratitude for all the wonderful patients who are sharing their experiences and making huge strides in managing their type-A, anxious brains despite so much uncertainty.
6. I’m practicing dealing with uncertainty and finding new ways to ground into the present moment. Unlike most colds and flus, coronavirus symptoms can come and go over a long period of time. I like to do lots of things, all the time and do them how I envision. Right now, I’m very aware that I might only be able to work for an hour or not at all. I’m aware that instead of creating a crazy scavenger hunt outside for my kids, I might be relying on the infinite magic of Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory to get us through a rough afternoon.
7. I laugh more. Throughout all of the crazy, I’ve had to use humor to get through the symptoms and frustration. I’m laughing at everything I can but here are a few of my favorites:
- The ridiculousness of navigating my kids’ learning apps (all of them!) and knowing that my six-year old’s tablet shows up in my nightmares.
- Trying to get an appointment via phone with MDLive and instead of getting connected me to an erotic adult line. Call MDLive, it’s a great typo! I kinda hope they don’t fix the typo because it’s so funny.
- The insistence of one of my kids that “We must fight coronavirus with everything we’ve got! Change your underwear twice a day!” While this isn’t medical advice, I appreciate that he’s taking control over what he can. I’m also just glad he’s changing his underwear.
Hilarious! Right?!?
8. I’m restructuring my post-coronavirus life to better reflect my values. In coping with coronavirus and shelter-in-place, I’m being proactive in reducing my workload and envisioning my dream schedule to include more built-in self-care.
Anyhow, like everyone else, I’m annoyed at times and want the normalcy of my life back but I’m so deeply grateful to be able to lean into a few skills, breathe, laugh and reconfigure my life.
How are you navigating coronavirus? What coping skills are you using? If you’re struggling or need some skills to keep you afloat, reach out to us. We can do this together????
