How to Survive the New World of COVID-19

This is an unsettling time for all of us. 
From first responders and hospital personnel, the sick and the compromised, to those of us who are following the now,  new social rules to avoid spreading a disease we can't see, we are all affected. Many people are also worried about the financial repercussions of shuttered businesses or investments that have taken a nosedive, decisions about whether and how to send children back to school.

We may have little control over this virus, but we do have control over how we maintain a healthy emotional state. Here are some ideas toward that end. You may have even more ideas and I'd love to hear them.

First, keep a routine of work, play, and sleep. Your brain understands routines and will respond with a happier mood

Take care of yourself
  • Exercise (start now or start again)
  • Eat healthy foods
  • Get plenty of sleep at the same hours
  • Limit your exposure to media coverage of COVID-19 (including social media!)
  • If you're isolated at home, find a new hobby
  • Check in with friends and relatives with old-fashioned phone calls and snail mail
  • Create occasional time away from people in your house
  • Ask for help if you feel overwhelmed


Second, if you have a preexisting mental health condition, continue treatment by scheduling a video therapy session.

Be especially aware of any new or worsening symptoms.
  • greater irritability
  • increased use of alcohol or other drugs
  • withdrawal, fear or worry
  • changes in sleep or eating  patterns
​
We can meet this new challenge. We will overcome it together.

To Medicate or Not to Medicate

As a culture, we like the quick fix. We have become accustomed to believing that a prescription will fix our sadness or fears.  What we find, though, is that even the most effective pharmaceuticals do not "cure" depression or anxiety. They may ameliorate some of the symptoms, some of the time, in some people, over a short period of time. Certainly, even temporary relief of symptoms sounds good.

Some forms of therapy (which I practice) have been found to have much better and longer lasting results. Making significant cognitive, physical and relationship changes under experienced, knowledgeable guidance can change lives.

* While psychiatric medications frequently create their own negative side-effects, there are circumstances for which I recommend medication as a complement to therapy. In those cases, I work with psychiatrists I trust who know the value of therapy and do not over-prescribe.  

***COVID-19 UPDATE:  ​

I am still here for you, taking care of patients. All appointments now are via virtual means--video or phone. So, please, do call or click on the "Schedule" button on this page if you'd like to set up an appointment. Thank you for making this change with me.

            Therapy in the privacy and comfort
​                        of your home or office.

 


​From Anxiety and Depression...
               To Calm and Content

When you suffer from anxiety and/or depression,
the hardest step toward wellness may be asking for help.
You may manage to keep most people from knowing. It's a technique that keeps you going. The awful thing though, about both anxiety and depression is that they both get worse when they go untreated.

Asking for help means leaving the safety of your "hiding place." I do not underestimate just how difficult that can be. Furthermore, anxiety and depression both whisper lies, the most vicious are that nothing can help you and you'll always feel like this.

Here's the good news:  It is possible to have a quiet mind, to live without being stuck in worry mode. You can feel more serenity, find joy in your life. My goal is to help you make the complicated problems of your life easier to understand and change. Practice really does "make perfect," and you may have perfected worrying or feeling sad. But the right kind of deliberate practice can change the way you think, feel, and behave. It simply is not necessary to waste another day of your life in a limited world of fear.
Contact me when you have questions
Email:   info@marilynmillerpsychotherapy.com
Phone:    210.822.1708