Worried about emotional overwhelm during COVID19?

We are living during unprecedented times. The future is uncertain, our daily lives have changed drastically, our freedoms have been restricted and much is out of our control. This is a recipe for emotional overload. 

At first adrenalin pushes us forward. With things changing so quickly, our bodies are infused with adrenalin so that we have the energy to get the things done required for survival. This 

may seem dramatic, but our brains do not like uncertainty and potential harm to our wellbeing, and so it uses adrenalin to increase our energy and increase our chances of “making it”. 

During this stage we don’t spend much time feeling our emotions. We know a lot is happening under the surface, but we are focused on getting through this phase so we bury whatever comes up and find short term coping mechanisms to get through the day. 

While this may work in the short term to get through a period of time, it is highly ineffective over the long term and could lead to illness, depression and a slew of other ailments. 

So whether it’s due to COVID 19 or the everyday stresses of life and work, it’s important that you consider how you deal with emotions. 

Do you avoid your emotions? Do you use coping mechanisms that might or might not be serving you? Which ones are your “go to” coping strategies? When and how do you process emotions and integrate lessons? 

This is the question I reflected on during my weekend walk. 

Avoidance can come in many forms, even hiding behind gratitude. For example, I was suppose to be sitting on a Costa Rican beach right now. I’m sad that I’m not. At first, I wasn’t allowing myself to feel the sadness because what is also true is that I am quite lucky in so many other ways. This is avoidance disguised as gratitude. We can feel sad and blessed all at once. It’s ok to be grateful and still mourn the loss of a cherished trip. 

Coping mechanisms can also come in many forms; some more serving than others. I have used both exercise and indulgence eating as coping mechanisms. The exercise is certainly a more life affirming coping mechanism than is eating chocolate in excess. However, in the long term, coping without integration leads to burnout, stress and unhappiness. Lookout for too much coping and not enough processing is a sure path to unsettled emotions being locked into our psyche, our bodies and our spirits. 

So what’s involved in Emotional Integration? (Well, I’m glad you asked!) 

Integration involves processing emotions, inviting them in, accepting them just as they are, allowing yourself to be present to them, feeling them in your body, witnessing them as they transform and releasing them. 

I do this by getting still, quiet and connecting with the bodily sensation of the emotion. I do this by declaring my emotion – putting words to what I am feeling. I do this by NOT getting into the story – I may clear the story in a 3-5 minute rant and then I let it go. I do this by writing thoughts and feelings down on paper. I do this by talking to my coaches and looking for what the lessons are. I do this by meditating and becoming present to what is. 

Whether you’re dealing with COVID19 emotions, work stress or anything in between, it’s important that we spend time really looking at how we process our emotions because it makes all the difference in how we show up. 

So, what strategies have you been using? Avoiding, coping, integrating or all of the above? What’s been working for you?