Understand the root of your concerns

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Fears and Our Mental Health

The coronavirus is on everyone’s mind. It’s impacting how we work, learn and connect with one another. It’s also the top story on all major news outlets. All of this has many of us feeling scared, nervous or anxious. Unfortunately, that can make things worse, taking a toll on our mental health. Here are some tips to support your emotional health and wellbeing, and help you, and those you love, cope.

Rachel Merchan, LCSW Social Worker

1. Consider a news detox A never-ending stream of information and misinformation from a variety of sources may contribute to the rising sense of panic we feel when thinking about coronavirus. Consider taking a break from, or reducing, the number of updates you consume. See how you feel after taking a pause from the news for a few hours, or a day, and go from there. If you must search, seek trustworthy sources – the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cdc.gov or your local health department.

2. Make decreasing stress a priority Find ways to de-stress, such as listening to music, a deep breathing exercise or guided meditation, stretching, or a walk outside.

3. Understand the root of your concerns Ask yourself: What am I most worried about? Fear often stems from the unknown. Try to understand why you are afraid, and then seek reliable sources of information to address your concerns, such as the CDC, or your healthcare provider. This can also be an important starting point when discussing the coronavirus with loved ones who are afraid. Open and honest communication can go a long way in helping us feel heard and understood.

4. Ask for support If you’re feeling overwhelmed, unable to manage your emotions or struggling to function, it’s time to seek help. Let friends and family members know you’re having a hard time and seek professional support.

5. Acknowledge what you can control There’s still a lot we don’t know about coronavirus. It’s okay, normal and expected to feel uncertain and scared. However, staying in that scary, uncertain space long-term isn’t good for us. Think about taking action in a safe way: whether it’s learning the facts, sharing your knowledge with others or letting loved ones know you are available for support. Treat others with respect, whether you are a patient, care provider or community member. Acknowledge that we’re all in this together. We will get through this as a community and become stronger, together.

Take care of each other and take care of yourself and wash your hands.

Debunking the Top 5 Myths About Surgical Weight Loss

Myth 1: If you’re obese, you don’t need bariatric surgery. To lose the weight, diet and work out. Obesity is probably one of the most misunderstood conditions in the world. It’s an energy-storage disease: a problem with the body’s central regulator. Obesity occurs when your body’s regulator is set too high, and that elevated “set-point” drives you to consume more food to produce the energy to meet this increased demand. Exercise and low-calorie diets produce short-term changes that make only a slight difference. But bariatric surgery changes your gastrointestinal tract and set-point, so you get full faster, feel less hungry, and therefore can lose significant weight.

Myth 2: Bariatric surgery is dangerous. As with any surgery, there are risks, but the risks of being obese are significant, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, sleep apnea, and dementia.

Myth 3. I’m too young/old for the surgery. Obesity is a serious disease that affects you physically and emotionally, no matter how old you are. For teens, obesity not only increases the risk of the health problems noted above, but also affects mood, self-esteem, the ability to concentrate, and even make friends. The good news is that surgical weight loss is very successful in adolescent patients, helping them physically and emotionally. The surgery can also be safe and effective for older obese patients, many of whom are functionally impaired, meaning they have radically limited their activities because of their condition. At Northern Westchester Hospital, I’ve seen patients who are in their seventies. Mitchell Roslin, MD Director of Bariatric Surgery Northern Westchester Hospital

Myth 4: Women can’t have children after weight-loss surgery. Big myth! In fact, surgical weight loss boosts fertility since the leading cause of infertility in women is obesity. Polycystic ovary syndrome, a common cause of infertility, is associated with obesity. And obese pregnant women have a higher rate of miscarriage and diabetes.

Myth 5: After surgery, you’ll have a large scar, lose your hair, and may gain your weight back. We do minimally invasive surgery through small incisions, so scarring is minimal – four to six tiny marks. As for hair loss, there’s some truth to this. Some patients undergo hormonal changes after surgery and might experience thinning hair. However, you won’t go bald.

As for gaining weight back after surgery, this depends on the person. If you have the surgery and refuse to develop healthier habits, it’s possible you’ll regain weight. That’s why it’s important to exercise regularly – three to five times a week – and to choose foods that make you feel full, don’t drive up your sugar level, are nutritious, and take longer to digest. At Northern Westchester Hospital, a registered bariatric dietitian helps you stay on track with healthy eating. We also offer support groups to help patients make healthier decisions about post-surgery eating.