By Dr. Erica Posniak
The changes in our lives brought about by Covid-19 have been dramatic and very stressful. Many of us are experiencing heightened anxiety and fear. The brain has a biologically driven tendency to focus on danger or perceived danger, and a feeling of overwhelm is a common experience. When sustained feelings of anxiety and overwhelm occur, the “thinking brain” goes offline. This makes it difficult to reason ourselves into a calmer state.
If you experience these feelings, just noticing the anxious feelings with curiosity and without self judgment can start to bring your thinking brain back online.
Try the following practice. It can be calming and grounding.
Find a seat in a place where you feel comfortable – perhaps a favorite chair.
Sit with your feet touching the floor.
Your eyes may be closed or partially open. If you need to open your eyes to feel safe, then this is recommended.
Tap your feet on the floor and/or your hands on the arms of your chair.
Notice the sensation in your hands and feet.
Notice the feel of your body in the chair.
Know you are in a safe place, your place. Say to yourself or out loud, “I am safe.”
Take a deep cleansing breath.
Rest your attention on your breath and notice the in-breath and the out-breath..
Concentrate on making the out-breath longer than the in-breath. The nervous system is calmed with a prolonged out-breath.
Continue breathing in this manner for 2 minutes or whatever length of time is comfortable.
Know that you are breathing
Know that you are safe in this moment.
When you’re ready, open your eyes and notice how you are feeling.
Try to repeat this practice every day or several times a day as the need arises.
Remember to treat yourself with the same kindness you would offer to a friend.
Mindfulness practice strengthens our resilience and can increase calm and focus. Going forward, I’ll introduce different mindfulness practices which I hope will be helpful in navigating this difficult time.
If you feel you need immediate support for your anxiety, you can contact the NY State Office of Mental Health Emotional Support Line. Call: 844-863-9314 or your physician.
Dr. Erica Posniak is a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction teacher. She is the Chairperson of the Family Health and Wellness program advisory committee at CCE-Suffolk.