Crisis advice: ‘Be kind to yourself’

Psychologist suggests daily routine that includes exercise, family time

Establishing a routine, staying positive and connecting with others are three concepts Elkins Park psychologist Dr. Steven Rosenberg recommended people start doing as COVID-19 cases force people to change the way they look at everyday life.

“Well no question about it, life has changed because everyone should take the idea of social distancing seriously,” Rosenberg said.

COVID-19, which is caused by a virus called SARS-Co-V-2, was first detected late last year in Wuhan, China. It has since spread with reported cases in more than 100 countries, including the U.S. There are 77 positive cases of COVID-19 in Montgomery County as of Saturday, according to the county’s COVID-19 website.

Locally, Gov. Tom Wolf recently instituted several policies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, which included closing schools and non essential businesses. Employees are working at home, and kids are out of school.

Rosenberg emphasized the importance of setting “a schedule for yourself.” That involves setting aside a specific location, as well as amount of time for work, meals and breaks.

Rosenberg added that it’s necessary to include time for family, exercise and overall productivity.

“Get things done that would make you feel like a sense of accomplishment has occurred,” he said. “So really stay busy, stay occupied, keep yourself with some boundaries and most of all stay connected to everyone that you want to be connected with.”

Additionally, while practicing social distancing, people should also get enough sleep and practice good health habits, Rosenberg said.

While some seem to take to being cautious during the COVID-19 outbreak, others might have trouble adjusting to a new lifestyle.

“Without a doubt if you’re feeling very, very depressed, it’s a situational depression,” Rosenberg said. “So that if you don’t have a history of depression, then it is situational. If you do have a history of depression and

this is making it worse for you, you should definitely go out and seek your therapist and talk to them.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of depression include sadness, irritability and someone having trouble sleeping.

Rosenberg added mental health professionals are using modern methods, such as Facetime, or Skype or the

telephone, to keep treating patients while offices are closed.

In addition to concerns about the spread of virus, Rosenberg cited financial concerns with the turbulent stock market as a reason for increased anxiety and depression.

“A lot of therapists are doing telecommunication and getting themselves to

be able to virtually treat their patients,” he said. “And this is a time where depression is running at an all time high.”

Rosenberg also encouraged people to “be present” and adopt a positive outlook during a somewhat difficult time.

“Be more mindful of what you are actually thinking. If you are constantly thinking

down and depressed, negative thinking makes you feel depressed,” Rosenberg said. “Negative thinking makes you feel anxious. Anxiety and depression go together.”

“You want to try to change yourself from thinking about that negative thought. Negativity is both being in the past and thinking about past negativity as

well as looking at negativity of the future,” he continued. “You want to bring yourself back to the present.”

All in all, Rosenberg advised people to be kind to themselves.

“Make sure that you’re in a good physical and mental state of mind, and you’ll be able to handle the things around the house ... in a better way,” Rosenberg said.