February 2021 - Thrive Counseling

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Pandemic Fatigue: What Is It and How Can We Deal with It?

By: Jessica Taylor, LPC Pandemic Fatigue: What Is It and How Can We Deal with It? Almost exactly one year ago, we were told that if we just stayed home for a few weeks, we could “flatten the curve” of the COVID-19 virus. This Pandemic has taken away everyone’s ‘normal’ way of living and has resulted in a series of traumatic experiences for many. If you are like me, you are just feeling over it. I know that I am not alone in this sentiment, because there is actually a new term for this phenomenon: Pandemic Fatigue. It appears that there are two ways of defining pandemic fatigue. The first is when an individual feels hopeless or angry about the current state of the world and begins to show less adherence to the CDC guidelines. This person might begin to wear a mask less often, hang out in large groups, etc. The pandemic fatigue that I want to talk about today is one that describes what our mental health and daily functioning looks like when we have been caring about the pandemic for so long, that we feel as though we cannot care about it anymore; thus, the reality that we having to continue caring about it has negative impacts on our mental health. Below are the signs and causes of this type of pandemic fatigue, as well as ways that you can cope if you feel this is something you might be experiencing. Signs of Pandemic Fatigue Feeling frustrated and/or angry about CDC guidelines. Consistent physical, cognitive, and emotional exhaustion. Not enjoying activities as you once did. Decrease in social engagement. Less motivation to complete daily tasks. Feeling more tired or ‘worn down.’ Increase in symptoms of anxiety or depression. Causes of Pandemic Fatigue Daily tasks are taking more mental effort to complete. Grocery shopping can already be exhausting, but these days we have to grocery shop while we also wear a mask, keep six feet of distance from other shoppers, and pay attention to the arrows on the floor. Prior to the pandemic, when engaging in an activity that you had completed on hundreds of occasions, you were able to kind of go on “auto-pilot.” Maybe your weekly Target run was actually a form of self-care—just wondering through the aisles casually. But this is no longer the case. There are so many safety precautions that we need to attend to while in public, that we must stay focused the entire time. This eats up a lot of energy and motivation. There is a constant need to multi-task. Prior to the pandemic, most of us went to work and focused only on our work during those eight hours. Then we came home and focused on our family and the tasks that we needed to complete there. These days, you can be on a work call and hear your child screaming and washing machine going behind you at the same time. This can lead us to feel that we are not doing or being our best anywhere. We are distracted employees and exhausted family members. We started this thinking that we would get a quick and substantial return on our efforts. Last year, we had the perception that if we just put in a ton of effort to do our part to socially distance, we would see life return to ‘normal’ relatively quickly. Now, even with the vaccine rollout, we know that it will still be several months before we see anything resembling ‘normal.’ This has caused many of us to wonder if all of the annoying precautions we are taking are even worth it. How to Cope if you are experiencing pandemic fatigue Recognize/accept the toll this is taking (individually and collectively) Most of us have been in “survival mode” for almost a year now. But because this is now our new normal, we might not be paying much attention to the toll that this is taking on us emotionally, physically, and otherwise. Take a moment to think about what you are grateful for, while also giving yourself grace in all the areas of life where you might not be “thriving” right now. Don’t engage in Avoidance Tactics It is no secret that many of us have been using food or alcohol to cope; but this might be contributing to an increase in anxiety and depression. Treating yourself is great, but try to engage in eating and drinking in a mindful way. Remember when at the beginning of the pandemic we were scheduling zoom hangouts with friends and family members? Are you still doing that? If not, it is probably because you are tired of being on video calls in general. Or maybe just feeling sad about the fact that you don’t know when you will be able to hug your loved ones again. But opting out of virtual social opportunities or isolating yourself from others altogether is only going to worsen your symptoms of pandemic fatigue. Get Outside I don’t need to tell you how great fresh air and movement are for your mental health. Even if it’s cold out—find time to stand outside and let the sun hit your face for at least five minutes per day. Create Fun Moments Fun doesn’t look like it once did. But that doesn’t mean we can find reasons to smile. Try a new hobby. Or have a game night with your family. Host a themed video call with your friends. Maintain Hope After the pandemic, things definitely won’t look exactly the way that they did prior to March of last year. But even so, visualize yourself hugging your family members again and celebrating the holidays as you once did. Or even take time to plan that big future trip you want to take. Talk to a Professional More than ever before, clients are wanting to spend time during our sessions processing their thoughts and feelings about the current state of the world. You don’t need to

How COVID-19 is Causing Higher Rates of Depression in Healthcare Workers

By: Jessica Taylor, LPC How COVID-19 is Causing Higher Rates of Depression in Healthcare Workers The negative impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on the mental health of our healthcare workers are just now starting to fully come to light; and it is likely that this impact will be one that is lasting. We have already seen an increase in the presence of post-traumatic stress and burnout in our frontline healthcare workers. In addition, a study done in April of 2020 found that 29% percent of the healthcare workers interviewed were experiencing mild symptoms of depression. 17% of them were experiencing moderate to severe symptoms of depression. And 5% of those healthcare workers were experiencing suicidal ideations. These statistics are alarming, especially considering that most of our frontline healthcare workers are expected to continue “pushing through,” working to treat patients of the disease, despite any mental health issues they are experiencing. If you are a healthcare worker during this unprecedented time, it is important for you to know that risk factors that contribute to depression, the signs of depression, and what you can do about it if you are feeling depressed. Signs of Depression Depression does not look the same from person to person. Sometimes the symptoms of depression are blatant. Other times, it is only a few ‘sneaky’ signs that slowly start showing up. Changes in appetite Sudden weight gain or weight loss Changes in quality and/or quantity of sleep Exhaustion Intrusive negative thoughts Thoughts of suicide Isolation from others Loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed Lack of concentration Lack of motivation Increase in irritability or anger Risk Factors for Healthcare Workers The research regarding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our healthcare workers is ongoing, but here are some of the risk factors that appear to be negatively contributing to mental health issues in frontline healthcare workers. Lack of social supports/isolation from family and friends Longer/more frequent shifts Fear of transmitting the disease to loved ones Traumatic experiences at work are happening more frequently What You Can Do if You Are Struggling with Depression Try to implement self-care and coping strategies Take a moment to check-in with your body right now by asking yourself these questions: How has your sleep hygiene been lately? Are you drinking enough water throughout the day? What do meals and snacks look like? Sometimes it probably feels like there are not enough hours in the day to engage in self-care. But engaging in the activities that help you feel ‘recharged’ are essential to being the employee, friend, and family member that you want to be. The easiest way to think about coping with symptoms of depression is making sure that you are doing the opposite (action) of what your depression ‘wants’ you to do. For example, if you are feeling so down that you want to stay in bed all day, get up and take a shower instead. If you are experiencing negative thoughts about needing to isolate yourself, call a friend or ask your partner to watch a movie with you. Seek help from a professional Meeting with a counselor will provide you a space to process all the thoughts, feelings and experiences you might be holding in for fear of burdening loved ones. In addition, your therapist will hold you accountable in making sure that you are taking care of your body’s basic needs and engaging in self-care on a regular basis. *If you are feeling suicidal, call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255).

Depression Therapy in Denver for Men and Women

How to Communicate Seamlessly with Your Partner

By: Jessica Taylor, LPC You Can Improve Communication with Your Partner Today–Here’s How Communication issues come up in all love relationships, and studies show that communication and relationships and/or marital satisfaction go hand-in-hand. Arguments happen and they don’t necessarily mean that you are not a good match. It might mean that you just haven’t learned how to argue yet. Hear me out. Having zero arguments is just not a realistic goal. So, it is important to learn how to disagree in a way that does not damage the relationship long-term and cause resentments. Recognize Your Differences One of the most common factors that contributes to communication issues in love relationships is each person in the relationship having different communication styles. There are some people that want to stick and around and resolve things, no matter how heated it gets. Then there are people that are really good at taking space when things get heated but struggle to come back to finish the conversation. If this is the case, the goal is to meet in the middle. This means taking space when things start to escalate, but then coming back (preferably within 24 hours) to complete the discussion. Learn to See Disagreements as “Win-Win” When we think about arguments, there is often the idea that one person will ‘win’ and the other will ‘lose.’ If we begin an agreement with this mindset, things are more likely to get ugly. The goal of “fair fighting” is for each person to leave the conversation feeling good about the result. There are three steps necessary in accomplishing this: Step 1: Validate the other person’s side of the issue (i.e. “I hear you saying that you need my help with dinner right after I get home from work.”) Step 2: Share your side of the issue (i.e. “My issue with helping with dinner is that I feel so exhausted from a long day at work.”) Step 3: Work to create a compromise (i.e. “How about I take 20 minutes to decompress alone when I get home, and then I will help you with dinner?”) Make a Plan Let’s be honest, once things start to escalate during an argument, it’s really hard to think clearly, let alone act in a skillful way that does not damage the relationship. Therefore, it is important to create a communication plan when things are calm. Examples of questions that you both need to come together to answer are: How do you know when it is time to take space? Where will you each go and what will you do during the time that you are taking space? How long should you take space for? Don’t Let Resentments Build One of the most common reasons for relationships ending is built-up resentments. If your partner does or says something that upsets you, let them know in a skillful way (more on this later). The ideal time frame for sharing your feelings is 24 hours; anything longer than that feels like “garbage dumping” and will likely result in the other person getting defensive. Avoid Damaging Behaviors During arguments it is important to avoid behaviors like swearing, yelling and name-calling. Remember that hurtful things said and done in anger are not forgotten when things have calmed down. This is where taking space comes in. If you feel yourself escalating, taking some space from the situation, and engaging in activities that help you calm down during that time, will help prevent you from saying or doing anything that you will later regret. Don’t Point Fingers If there is an issue that you need to bring up to your partner, it will help reduce defensiveness if you start sentences with “I.” For example, “I felt hurt when you said that you were too busy to spend time with me.” This will probably kick off a more productive conversation than something like “Why don’t you ever want to spend time with me?!” Show That You Are Listening Have you ever noticed how quickly arguments turn into a (metaphorical) ping-pong match? In other words, neither person feels heard by the other, which means that they aren’t making much of an effort to be a good listener. In order to slow the process down it helps to engage in what is called active listening. Examples of non-verbal cues for active listening are eye contact and making sure that your arms are uncrossed, and your body is facing the other person. Here’s how to verbalize active listening: “So this is what I hear you saying…” Be Patient! Improving communication in love relationships for the long-term takes time and patience. If you are both committed to trying new things and showing vulnerability, things will get better with time, consistency, and mutual respect.

Why Doctors and Nurses are Experiencing Symptoms of PTSD During COVID

By: Jessica Taylor, LPC Here’s Why More Doctors and Nurses are Experiencing Symptoms of PTSD During COVID COVID-19 Is Taking a Toll on All of Us Almost all of us have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in significant ways. Countless people have lost their jobs and are currently worrying about how to pay their bills and feed their family. Others have struggled with the disease themselves and continue to experience residual symptoms. Far too many of us have watched friends and family succumb to the disease. Then there are the doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers who have experienced these impacts in their personal lives while also having to confront the disease every day while they are at work. Studies have shown that in general, the rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in healthcare providers range between 10 and 20%. In addition, this number gets larger in healthcare providers working in ICU environments, with the rate going up to 30%. These numbers are based on the experience of healthcare providers, such as doctors and nurses, during times where there was no pandemic. We are still very much in the thick of treating COVID-19, so only time and more research will show us the psychological impacts that this devastating pandemic has had on our healthcare workers. How Trauma is Defined To experience symptoms of PTSD, one much first be exposed to a traumatic event. We often only think of trauma in terms of an experience where we feel our life, or someone else’s life is in danger (i.e. a car accident or being robbed). But the experience of trauma can also be classified as “an extreme state of uncertainty and confusion…(which) violates our expectations about our life and world (Mock, 2020).” It is an easy assumption to make that treating patients of COVID-19, and the associated death rate of those patients, is out of the realm of what most healthcare providers expected to experience during their professional tenure. Symptoms of PTSD The DSM-5 groups the symptoms of PTSD into five categories, which are listed below. If you believe that you may be struggling with symptoms of PTSD, read each section carefully and assess whether this is what you are experiencing. The Experience of a Traumatic Event If you are a healthcare worker treating COVID-19 patients, you are being exposed to trauma almost constantly. You are in a high-risk situation for multiple hours a day, are witnessing patients become extremely ill and/or pass away and are also watching your colleagues experience the same. This is trauma. Intrusion (re-experiencing) Do you experience intrusive memories and/or dreams of specific traumatic experiences? Do experience flashbacks where you feel as though you are back in the traumatic experience? Do you experience psychological distress and/or physiological reactions to reminders of traumatic experiences? Avoidance Do you do things to try to avoid having memories of traumatic experiences? Do you avoid external stimuli that remind you of traumatic experiences? Significant Impacts on Cognition and Mood Do you struggle to remember aspects of specific traumatic events? Are you holding onto negative beliefs about yourself, others and/or the world (ie: “The world is a dangerous place.”)? Are you blaming yourself or others? Do you experience persistent negative emotions such as fear, anger, or guilt? Are you finding that you are not interested in engaging in activities that you once enjoyed? Do you feel isolated or estranged from others? Do you feel as though you are unable to experience positive emotions? Significant Increase in Reactivity Are you experiencing more irritability and anger on a regular basis? Are you struggling to fall and/or stay asleep? Do you have trouble staying focused? Do you feel more hypervigilant and/or become startled more often? What is Acute Stress Disorder? Acute Stress Disorder is when you are experiencing the signs and symptoms of PTSD, but you experienced the traumatic event associated to their symptoms less than a month ago. If you are experiencing Acute Stress Disorder and your symptoms go untreated, they will likely then meet the criteria necessary for a diagnosis of PTSD. Risk Factors for Healthcare Providers Treating COVID-19 Patients Here are some factors that might put you at a greater risk for experiencing symptoms of PTSD during the COVID-19 pandemic: Frequency of Exposure to Traumatic Experiences If you are a healthcare working, offering direct care to COIVD-19 patients, you are most likely experiencing something traumatic every time you go to work (although, remember that it might not feel traumatic in-the-moment, because your body and brain are in “survival mode.”) No Time to Process Experiences One of the most important coping skills when experiencing trauma is speaking about those experiences out loud to someone else (preferably a trained professional). If you are a doctor or nurse that is consistently experiencing a new trauma each day at work, chances are that you have not yet had the chance to adequately process through these experiences. Sleep Issues Due to Shift Work. Sleep issues are extremely common with individuals doing shift work. But these sleep issues are bound to worsen if you are plagued with reoccurring memories of past traumas and intrusive thoughts about current sick patients. Relational Coping Skills Are Not Available Maybe you used to blow off steam from the stress of work by going to a fitness class or meeting friends for dinner. For most of us, these experiences are now high-risk and unavailable to us. It would make sense if, because of this, you are struggling to find new ways of coping with the constant stress at work. What You Should Do If You Are Struggling with Symptoms of PTSD Just as you provide medical attention to those in need, there are professionals waiting to help you overcome the psychological impacts of this pandemic. Studies have shown that just talk therapy alone, with a licensed mental health provider, is extremely helpful in lessoning the frequency, intensity, and duration of symptoms of PTSD and Acute Stress Disorder. Taking the time to care

Burnout Among Doctors and Nurses Due to COVID-19 is Climbing—Here’s Why

What Is Burnout and How is it Affecting Healthcare Workers? The ICD-11 defines burnout as: “a syndrome (that results from) chronic workplace stress…that has not been successfully managed.” The three most common impacts of burnout are: lack of motivation and exhaustion, negative thoughts and feelings about one’s job, and being less effective in job role. Due to the overwhelming impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, research proves that burnout is running rampant among doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers. Mental Health America (MHA) completed a survey with healthcare workers to assess their mental health while working through the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this survey are worrisome. Out of the 1,119 individuals surveyed, 93% said that they were suffering with general feelings of stress. 76% said that they were experiencing exhaustion and burnout. These statistics show the truth: we need to acknowledge the long reaching impact of this pandemic on our healthcare workers and work on finding ways to combat these issues so that they are able to continue caring for their patients to the best of their ability. Maybe you are healthcare worker wondering if what you are experiencing is burnout. If so, continue reading to learn the signs of and factors that are contributing to burnout, and how to cope. Signs of Burnout in Healthcare Workers If you are a healthcare worker and wondering if what you are experiencing is burnout, ask yourself these questions. Constantly feeling tired, even when getting enough sleep Are you feeling exhausted most of the day? Does your body feel heavy? Do you notice that you are consuming more caffeine or sugar to keep yourself going? Feeling overworked and/or underappreciated Are you having to work longer hours and/or more shifts? Are you starting to feel resentful because it seems like no one is noticing how hard you are working? Dreading going to work Do you feel a sense of dread or experience symptoms of anxiety the day before or the day of going to work? Compassion fatigue Have you noticed that you are struggling to feel empathy or compassion toward your patients (and others)? Factors That Are Contributing to Burnout in Doctors and Nurses The general state of the world is concerning. Living during a pandemic is stressful for most of us, but our healthcare workers are undoubtedly shouldering most of the burden as they care for our sick and dying loved ones. Fear of contracting COVID-19 and/or exposing family and friends. There are too many stories about doctors and nurses feeling as though they need to isolate themselves away from their immediate family members for fear of exposing them to the virus. Isolation from loved ones only compounds any symptoms of anxiety and depression that are arising from the experiences of treating COVID-19 patients. Hospitals are short-staffed, which means longer hours. Longer hours and more shifts mean less sleep. Less time with family. Less time to engage in self-care activities. What to do if you are experiencing burnout Set boundaries when possible. Ask yourself whether there is room to ask for time off from work. Ask your family to let you have some solo “unwind time” when you get home from your shift. Attend to your basic needs. Are getting enough (quality) sleep? It helps to have a set bedtime that allows for an adequate number of hours of sleep. At least 30 minutes before bed, put all screens away and engage in relaxing activity. Take a hot shower, read a (non-stressful) book, or listen to a guided meditation. How are your eating habits? A busy schedule might not always allow for cooking fancy meals, but just try to consume whole foods when possible. Also consider your water intake, how much you are moving each day, and whether you are using any unhealthy coping skills. Practice self-care. You are spending so much of your time caring for others, but it is important that no matter how busy your schedule becomes, you are still finding time to engage in activities that you enjoy in hopes of ‘recharging’ between work shifts. Self-care looks like calling a friend, doing a craft, or taking a yoga class. Find ways to feel hopeful about the future. There will be a time in the future when you will feel better. Allow yourself to get excited about that time and plan what you will do. What friend will you go get lunch with first? Do you want to take a trip? Ask for emotional support. Allow others to care for you. Engaging in talk therapy is an effective way to release some of those anxious thoughts you have had pent up. You don’t need to cope with your experience of burnout by yourself. A therapist will provide a non judgmental space for you to vent, and then figure out how to move forward. By: Jessica Taylor, LPC

How to have a Great Online Therapy Session

Tips for Your Thrive Teletherapy Session By: Jessica Taylor, LPC Online therapy is effective and convenient. It can be hard to navigate the technology and to find your rhythm with teletherapy. Here’s tips to have a great session. Follow these instructions Click on the link sent to you by your therapist Enter your name Click ‘join’ (please note that this button will not appear until your therapist has joined the session on their end). Use a laptop or desktop Use a Laptop or a Desktop (Phones and Ipads work too, but not as well). Experience has proven that teletherapy sessions run more smoothly when both the client and therapist are using a computer. Chrome is the recommended browser, but Firefox and Safari will work as well. If you must use your cellphone, you will also need to have either Chrome or Safari downloaded. Prepare ahead of time Make sure that your device is charged, that you have headphones (if you prefer to use them) and that you have allowed access to your camera and microphone. Find a quiet and distraction-free space In order to maintain HIPAA compliance, your therapist will make sure that they are in a space where no one can hear them (or you). You will get the most out of your session if you are able to find a private space as well. Put a post-it on the square that shows your own face Looking at our own face for an extended period of time is one of the reasons cited for developing video call fatigue. If you are uncomfortable with the idea of being on a video call for this reason, consider putting a piece of paper on the square that shows you your own face. Be flexible with technology issues Another possibly frustrating aspect of teletherapy is when technology fails us. If for any reason, the teletherapy session freezes or cuts out, know that your therapist is doing everything in their power to get things up and running again on their end. Know that your therapist is in the same boat You are not alone-your therapist is also getting frustrated with technology issues and feeling uncomfortable looking at their own face!