COVID-19 Webinars: Supporting Businesses in a Time of Crisis | Webinar #11

Understanding the mental health impact of Covid-19

What we are going to cover?

▪Understanding our brain’s response to stress ▪Explore how to our bodies respond to stress ▪Explore difference between Fear vs Anxiety ▪Look at how to support our mental health right now ▪Understand what children are going through ▪Tips for Kids

What’s happening to our brains & our bodies right now?

Limbic System = Brain’s Alarm System

Alert | Attentive | Act

COVID19

Typical Reactions to Stress • • • •

Racing heart Sleep Headaches Stomach aches

• • • •

Poor concentration Racing thoughts Forgetful Poor mental acuity

Physical

Emotional

Cognitive

Behavioural

• Fear / anxiety • Sense of dread • Irritable • aggression

• Avoidance • Changes in routine • Withdrawal

ACUTE STRESS RESPONSE FIGHT / FLIGHT RESPONSES Anxiety | Overwhelmed | Chaotic Responses Emotional Outbursts | Aggression Obsessive Compulsive Behaviours & Thoughts Over-Eating | Impulsivity

EMOTIONALLY REGULATED / SELF CALMING Calm | Cool | Collected Present | In the Moment Rational | Thoughtful | Intentional

FREEZE RESPONSES Separated from Feelings | Not Present Unavailable | Shut Down Memory Loss | Disorganized Disconnected | Auto Pilot

Unique to Covid-19 Threat Regulation (Calm the alarm system)

Action

Alarm System Activated

Attention

Fear vs Anxiety Fear is an emotional response to an immediate threat and is associated with our neurological fight/flight/freeze response to escape/seek safety Anxiety is an emotional response to anticipation of a future concern or event and is more associated with physiological and behavioural symptoms

COVID19 REALITY

Fear Present

Real & Immediate threat

Anxiety Anticipatory / future What ifs Uncertainty

“Intolerance of Uncertainty”

Some Stress Hormones are helpful!

• Oxytocin is a main stress hormone produced by the pituitary gland when we perceive a threat.

• Oxytocin increases social desire, parent protection hormone.

• Your automatic adaptive stress response is nudging you to seek support.

What will help right now?

•Accept that what we are experiencing is a very normal reaction to a highly abnormal situation •Be patient with ourselves and others •Be flexible; find predictability in moments •Be preventative; • Covid19 prevention includes physical health and mental health actions.

What do we have control over?

Threat Regulation (calming the alarm system)

Action

Alarm System Activated

Attention

• Manage our information intake • All news is not equal • Take regular information breaks • Be aware of what we are focused on • Look at the whole truth • Focus on what remains certain

• Create routines for work &/or school • Take care of your sleep hygiene • Set daily tasks/goals, 1-Day-at-a-time • Set aside family time • Be socially connected, stay in touch • Eat healthy • Follow all Public Health advise • Keep a journal or a scrap book

Engage the sensory system; ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Cook/Bake – smell / taste Pull weeds/garden – smell/visual/tactile Music/Dance – auditory/vestibular Watch the waves / Be in nature – visual/auditory

Mindfulness ▪

Focused breathing | Meditation | Be in the moment

Movement ▪

Yoga | Stretching

▪

Walking | Exercise

APPS

Supporting Children Through Covid19

What do parents & children naturally do in times of fear or threat?

Scared children naturally

Parents of scared children naturally

• Signal their parent • Protect their children • Run towards parents • Provide comfort to their children • Seek safety from parent • Reassure their children of safety • Seek reassurance from parent

Parental Protection is functionally adaptive for the survival of all mammal species

What parents are reporting?

Childhood Toddlers

Teens

Worry, lots of Qs

Regression

Poor sleep

Withdrawn

Poor sleep Whinny / Clingy Tantrums

Bored, complaining Reassurance seeking Controlling Emotional Outbursts

Socially connected

Poor sleep Overeating Irritable Frustrated

Challenging rules

How to Support Children’s Mental Health?

▪ Manage your worry & mental health ▪ Be patient with yourself, your partner & your children ▪ everyone is coping in their own way ▪ Talk about Covid19 in a developmentally appropriate way ▪ Limit access to information that will increase fear ▪ Avoid shock statements ▪ Maintain routines, but be reasonably flexible ▪ Bedtime ▪ Meals ▪ School work ▪ Play

How to Support Children’s Mental Health?

▪ Maintain behavioural expectations ▪ consistent rules help children feel safe ▪ chores can bring a sense of routine ▪ Focus on sleep, nutrition and movement ▪ Encourage free play, art, music – sensory play ▪ Play with them ▪ Be present ▪ Offer reassurance and support, but watch for frequency & helpfulness ▪ Connect with your Teens ▪ Let them pick a Netflix series ▪ game with them

When to Seek Professional Help? • If you or anyone in your household has a history of mental health difficulties take preventative measures and stay in touch with your mental healthcare professional • If you are concerned about changes reach out to a licensed mental health provider for a consultation

Questions & Discussion