Coping with the coronavirus epidemic

Let’s break down why we are uncertain during this time of pandemic and what we can do to take back control.

Reasons for our apprehensiveness

◆ There’s currently no vaccine or preventive treatment for this new virus (but there are protective actions we can take).

◆ We’re bombarded with constant news, some may be sensational and inaccurate.

◆ As humans, we may overreact to uncertainty because it makes us feel a perceived “lack of control.” We observe people take on more unusual behaviors such as panic-buying of months’ worth of toilet paper and wearing face masks.

◆ We’re unaccustomed and may feel resentment about being deprived of our usual way of life (e.g., carefree shopping, stopping to talk with neighbors).

Consider these coping strategies

Recall successful coping strategies you’ve used in the past to deal with stressful life events. Remind yourself of your natural resilience, and carry out positive, constructive actions to reassert your sense of control and mastery.

◆ Stay informed with accurate information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Don’t overdose with too much repetitive information from the news media (remember constant TV scenes of 9/11?).

◆ Reassert your sense of power/control by protecting yourself and others from this illness by self-isolating and seeking medical advice should symptoms of the illness develop.

◆ Wash your hands regularly with soap and water; wear protective gloves and perhaps a high-quality face mask when shopping; avoid large crowds (as recommended by the CDC, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Secretary of Health Kathyleen Kunkel.

◆ Stay as healthy as you can by eating nutritious food, getting adequate sleep and rest, and following your doctor’s health-promoting advice. These practices may improve your overall resistance to the virus.

◆ Take advantage of more time at home by reading books (on your nightstand), doing simple exercises and starting spring cleanup, to mention a few.

◆ Protect your children/grandchildren from overexposure to frightening TV/radio reporting. Depending on their age and level of maturity, answer their questions accurately/reassuringly.

◆ Keep in contact via phone or video conferencing with family/friends for mutual support and socialization.

The elderly and those with mental health conditions

◆ Elderly people, especially those living alone, may be vulnerable to being isolated at home. Family and friends need to check in more regularly to help out (e.g., grocery shopping and keeping medical appointments, and taking medications).

◆ Those with preexisting emotional problems may experience an exacerbation of symptoms. Their friends/family need to be more supportive and make certain that appointments with their health professionals are kept and medications are taken properly.

Special consideration

We’re all so eager to resume our usual lifestyle, but let’s diligently follow directions from the CDC and other trustworthy authorities as to when and to what degree our normal life can resume. Some Asian countries resumed too quickly and experienced a resurgence of the epidemic.

Lastly and most importantly

Let’s not forget that New Mexicans and all Americans have great resilience. We’ve helped one another through more serious hardships (wars, depression/recessions, previous viral epidemics (e.g., polio). We’ll recover from this current challenge!

Dr. Larry Lazarus has a private psychiatric practice in Santa Fe and co-authored, with Dr. Je≠ Foster, the recent best-selling book Insider’s Guide to Quality, Affordable Healthcare.