5 Ways to Cope With Disaster

4/1/2020 (Permalink)

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people. It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief, and worry during and after a disaster. 

The CDC recommends the following steps to cope with a disaster:

• Take care of your body: Try to eat healthy well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep. Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

• Connect with others: Share your concerns and how you are feeling with a friend or family member. Maintain healthy relationships, and build a strong support system.

• Stay informed: When you feel that you are missing information, you may become more stressed or nervous. Watch, listen to, or read the news for updates from officials. Be aware that there may be rumors during a crisis, especially on social media. Always check your sources and turn to reliable sources of information like your local government authorities.

• Take breaks: Make time to unwind and remind yourself that strong feelings will fade. Try taking in deep breaths. Try to do activities you usually enjoy.

• Avoid too much exposure to news: Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories. It can be upsetting to hear about the crisis and see images repeatedly. Try to do enjoyable activities and return to normal life as much as possible and check for updates between breaks.

If distress impacts activities of your daily life for several days or weeks, talk to someone in your local Reisterstown community or online such as a clergy member, counselor, or doctor, or contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-985-5990.