It's been almost a year since it started. The last few months have been challenging times for everyone. We experience frustration on many different levels and have all experienced a range of emotions: anger, fear, isolation, fear, love, fear, solidarity, grief – with anger and fear being the strongest in summer.
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Now that we are beginning the transition from fall to winter, depression is positioned as an emotion at the forefront. There may be an increased risk of situational depression due to dissatisfaction due to a lack of activity and personal encounters, negative recent events, and a general sense of loss. The chance that situational depression will creep in increases as the days get shorter and we spend more time inside and in the dark as winter approaches.
Given our current situation and these potential threats, understanding our emotions and recognizing the symptomatic behaviors of depression will be key to avoiding habits that could have negative long-term consequences. Instead, let's focus on transforming our emotions into positive actions that can increase our resilience.
Understand your feelings
Everyone reacts in their own way to the events we experience, but the feelings of anger and fear are common to almost everyone. We may be angry because advances in racial relations seem painfully slow, because we've seen civil unrest and looting, or because the government's response to all of these things has not been what we wanted or expected. Many people suffer from anxiety and emotional fatigue due to all of the restrictions COVID-19 placed on us last summer that limited our ability to rest and recharge. Many are also exhausted from all the cultural changes that have taken place in just a few months but have dragged on for decades. Let's take a closer look at these emotions.
Anger
Anger is often referred to as a secondary emotion because we tend to resort to it to protect ourselves from or to cover up other vulnerable feelings. We almost always feel something else first before we get angry. We might feel fearful, attacked, trapped, offended, or disrespectful at first. When either of these feelings is intense enough, we consider the emotion to be anger.
What to do
First answer the following questions: What situations did you trigger? Are there people, situations or events that you just need to avoid?
Second, check your thoughts. Make sure to take a step back and identify how you may need to change your prejudices and your interactions with others. Anger is a feeling and it tells us that there has been an injustice; that we are denied something that we should have. It provides its own justification. But it's an emotion that interferes with critical thinking. There may be other elements that need to be considered before we act angry.
Finally, focus on what matters most: love. After so many recent and ongoing tragic events, it is important to identify how we can respond positively to what is happening in our world. It is most effective to connect through empathy and positive action.
Anxiety and fear
Fear has a purpose: to keep us alive. Fear is a natural and healthy response to being followed by a lion. Fear triggers the release of adrenaline and prompts us to keep walking. However, when we fear irrationally, we unnecessarily trigger cortisol, which can negatively affect our physical health.
Almost everything about the coronavirus pandemic is uncertain: How many people will be infected and possibly die, how much more will the economy and the labor market be affected, how quickly things will be "normal" again. Insecurity can lead to extreme discomfort and trigger irrational fears that prevent us from fully experiencing life. This could also affect our ability to solve problems or prevent us from finding solutions objectively. Worse, increased anxiety can actually affect our immune systems, making us even more susceptible to the virus.
What to do
First, replace fear with strength. The presence of the coronavirus does not have to become a traumatic and overwhelming experience that marks us for a lifetime. On the contrary, it can be an excellent opportunity to exercise our resilience. The ability to deal with adversity will be a critical component of our success beyond COVID-19. Maintaining an optimistic attitude is vital to assisting recovery. Being optimistic will help make your thoughts and feelings much more positive, which in turn will boost your immune system.
Second, you have a plan of action. When you have a plan of action, your brain feels responsible. The next time you have a bout of anxiety, write down your worries and identify your options. Examine your concerns and try to be realistic about their real concerns and your ability to cope with them. Recognizing what is troubling you and then focusing on what you can control will calm the nervous system and give you a feeling of inner strength.
Third, focus on the future. This will move you from crippling fear to action. Remember, anxiety comes from not knowing what is going to happen and depression comes from believing that there is nothing we can do to change it.
Imagine that you can manage and adapt. Studies have shown that religious individuals involved in tragic circumstances often report finding hope, peace, and even more joy amid the experience. This consequently led them to report high levels of satisfaction in their life. "We are hard pressed on all sides, but not dejected … dejected, but not destroyed" (2 Corinthians 4: 8-9). We can all benefit from this type of optimism.
What's next? Grief and situation depression
The coronavirus pandemic is causing people to struggle with various types of mental health problems, including grief and situational depression. Identifying the signs of grief and situational depression is important so that you can get the help you need.
grief
Our new reality since the outbreak of the global pandemic has been marked by increasing grief and a feeling of loss. School, vacations, weddings, concerts, reunions, travel plans, social events and many other things have been canceled this year due to the virus. It has forced an uncertain future and collective grief on us.
We mourn thousands of lives, and we also mourn our "normality". From working to attending community and religious gatherings to participating in everyday routines that we previously took for granted, like shopping or visiting friends, everything has been influenced.
What to do
First, remember that your feelings are valid. There is no right or wrong way to feel after a loss. The shock and disbelief that followed after everything we've lost can trigger feelings of anger, regret, sadness, and depression. All are common reactions. You may even have problems with anticipated grief or a sense of greater loss to come because you may be concerned about losing another family member or loved one.
Second, you reach. While you may be tempted to shut everyone out in the midst of your grief, it is important to come forward. Talking to someone about your feelings when you are stressed or upset may not bring back what you lost, but it can help you feel better and less alone. Find ways to remember what you lost. If you've lost someone, write a letter about your loved one's life and how it affects you. If you've lost a job that is important to you, write about everything you learned during your tenure in that position.
Depression
For many, the rapid changes brought on by the pandemic have been as frightening as the virus itself. Business closures, reduced incomes and uncertainty about what might lie ahead have exacerbated the symptoms of situational depression in large numbers of people. 
According to the World Health Organization, more than 264 million people worldwide suffer from various types of depression: major depression, bipolar depression, perinatal and postpartum depression, and situational depression. Situational depression differs from other types of depression in that it is a short-term, stress-related type of depression. It is also known as reactive depression. It can develop after a traumatic event or a series of events.
The symptoms of situational depression vary from person to person, but in most cases they include sadness, hopelessness, constant worry, feelings of anxiety or stress, trouble sleeping, difficulty in performing daily activities, feeling overwhelmed, thoughts about or attempted suicide, not enjoying normal activities, and crying regularly.
What to do
First accept the new reality. There is something "unreal" in the world of masks and physical distancing that we now live in. It's a world that sometimes prevents us from recognizing a friend passing by, or that makes greeting your relatives with kisses and hugs seem like an outdated custom from another era. However, it is important to remember that any storm will pass. "This too will pass."
Viewing crises as an opportunity to rethink and reorganize our priorities can prove beneficial. The analogy of a diamond can help here. The beauty of the diamond arises from the extreme experience of pressure and heat. That can also apply to you. By accepting your new reality and realizing the opportunities it presents, you can emerge empowered from your situation and the complex challenges you have faced.
Second, focus on progress. In the mental health community, we have observed that in overcoming depression, even small changes in our clients' daily lives can produce positive results. When people who were extremely depressed were asked to simply write down three good things that happened to them each day, 94% of people in the study said they experienced some relief from their symptoms of depression. Focusing on progress increases positive feelings. If you have depression, keep a thank you journal of three good things that happen every day. This exercise will likely help you too.
Third, be kind to yourself; You are doing the best you can. The COVID-19 crisis has caused enormous problems for us as a society. It reminded us that our emotions affect our physical and mental health – a reminder that our emotions are expressions of what happens to us and what is important to us. However, it is also important to remember that the feelings of hopelessness we may experience are symptoms of depression, and not the reality of our situation. You are not hopeless. There is hope.
Conclusion
Our current global crisis has given us the opportunity to influence each other for positive change. The solution to change begins with us through our words and actions. So, when you think about the realities and uncertainties of our world during the crisis that we all face, think about the different ways that you can turn your emotions into positive actions, starting with being kind to others and being kind to be yourself.
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Esther Scott is a licensed professional counselor based in Arlington, Texas. She is a solution-oriented therapist. Her areas of expertise are grief, depression, coping skills, and couple counseling. Contact them through their website at positiveactionsinternational.com.
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It should not be assumed that opinions or statements in articles appearing on CT Online represent the opinions of the editors or guidelines of the American Counseling Association.
