It’s been a stressful few months for our planet, as we humans try to figure out how to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. The ongoing uncertainties about the situation make it even harder for us to cope, so I’d like to offer a perspective based on my 25 years as a psychiatrist working with chronic pain patients. Even when our current pain is more psychological than physical, the same principles apply.
Self-management was the key tool for our patients — we taught them how to take charge of their nervous systems by using stress management techniques to become more functional in their lives. A major hurdle was their tendency to turn little aches and pains into medical catastrophes. But they gradually learned to get calmer and become comfortable with the feedback from their body: in the jargon, they stopped “catastrophizing.”
We’re all doing something similar with COVID. Our news media has always specialized in catastrophizing, and it’s become even more evident with their coverage of COVID. Will one million Americans really die? Will we be in lock-down for another two years? No one really knows yet, but worst case scenarios are the specialty of the house on TV news. It’s as though the media is spreading another virus: fear. And it’s an easy virus to fall prey to, so here are some suggestions for resisting that bug.
We can get so focused on the externals that we lose the context. Remember — virus particles are in the air everywhere, all the time. Our immune systems have evolved to take care of that, and they’re good at it. So unless you’re in one of the medically high risk groups (i.e., the tragedy at the Holyoke Soldiers Home), or aren’t following public health measures like masking and social distancing and get coughed on by an infected carrier, your natural defense mechanisms will most likely serve you well and develop protective antibodies. The virus is not like plutonium — low exposure levels can be tolerated by most healthy people.
Bacteria and viruses only flourish when the “terrain” is favorable. External factors like malnutrition, overcrowding, poverty and — especially with a lung disease like Covid — air pollution make a huge difference. But the intangibles can be just as important — it’s well known that immune function is damaged by stress — in particular, by the loss of social connections and by loneliness. So COVID has a Catch-22 — the same public health measures that cut down our exposure to the virus can also break down our social cohesion and impair our resilience.
That’s why it’s important to be able to feel empowered in these tough times, aided by whatever positive emotions you can access. Here are some suggestions. If you already have a stress management practice — exercise, meditation, yoga — you’re well on the way. Cultivate your own approaches, anything that takes your mind off the thoughts of worry and “What if?” Now’s a good time to start up your veggie garden, take your dog for a walk, sing in the shower, listen to the breeze rustling in the trees outside.
And some things are worth cutting down on: for example, eating Big Macs and drinking Diet Cokes impair immunity (a recent Boston Globe Op-Ed was entitled “The link between coronavirus deaths and those French fries”). And TV news should be limited to small, infrequent doses to avoid insomnia.
It’s also time to be kind to yourself. A very effective way to boost your resilience is to put aside self-criticism and judgment, and to just accept that you’re doing the best you can. You’d give that extra kindness to a loved one in a rut — so why not extend that same kindness to yourself? Notice when you get caught in a negative train of thought, and follow that observation with a feeling of self-acceptance: “I’m an OK person even though some negative thoughts just came to mind”. And that sigh of relief tells you that you’ve hit the spot and released another bit of stress.
So let’s not hold our breaths while we wait for a vaccine. We can empower ourselves and our immune systems with meditation apps, Zoom calls to friends, acts of kindness to ourself and others, and time spent outdoors in our beautiful Pioneer Valley. Taking care of the fear virus will help us better handle the coronavirus.
Rick Leskowitz is a Buckland resident who worked for many years at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston.