A New Diagnosis and the Cure

So many people are reeling, angry, and despairing these days. It’s no wonder. We’ve all been thrown into a situation that we’ve never been in before. It’s extremely disorienting, confusing and challenging in many ways. In the face of intense and prolonged stress, this new syndrome has emerged. But don’t despair, there’s a cure and hope.

Crisis Fatigue or Crisis Fatigue Syndrome is the term being used for this condition where you feel emotionally overwhelmed and unsure how to move forward. Hyperarousal, or high anxiety, create a state where people are irritable and any little thing may get them triggered. Even a small reminder of the crisis could result in a disproportionate emotional response from someone. Loss of motivation and energy, or becoming withdrawn often result. But don’t be too alarmed. These are all common and completely understandable reactions.

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Anxiety and grief are natural healthy emotions if properly managed and not prolonged. Most people can manage one crisis at a time but when compounded with other conflicts it becomes overwhelming which causes more anxiety, fear, frustration, feelings of helplessness, and stress.

When constantly bombarded with doom and gloom, it’s not uncommon to experience changes in sleep patterns, changes in appetite, and disruption in a person’s normal routines. All of this falls under the Crisis Fatigue Syndrome.

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But there is hope. You can defeat it. Here are some of the best suggestions for conquering Crisis Fatigue:

1 – Pursue things that bring you joy even if it’s not necessarily the things you should be doing. Find a healthy soothing distraction – can you say, emotional support kitten? Read, take a walk, mix up your routine to help stay focused instead of zoning out.

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2 – Try a new hobby, skill, puzzle, cooking, anything that engages the mind so it doesn’t wander. Even something as simple as brushing your teeth in the middle of the day just because it’s out of your normal daily routine is helpful. Mix things up. Read a book in a genre you don’t normally read. Have breakfast for dinner, dinner for lunch, dessert for breakfast. But, use caution. Eating healthy is still sound advice. Keeping your body full of good nutrition in turn keeps the mind in good health.

3 – Be aware of your thoughts. When you find yourself harboring on the bad, switch focus immediately. Remember a special event from the past, look at pictures from days gone by. Plan a mini get-away even if it’s just to the park down the street with take-out from your favorite restaurant. It’s the planning process that keeps the mind focused and gives you something to look forward to.

4 – Remember to smile even if there is no one around. Listen to funny YouTube videos. Watch children playing (but use caution on this one. Someone might mistake your interest.) Get some bubble soap at the dollar store and blow bubbles just to watch those iridescent orbs float around. Buy a hula hoop and challenge yourself to get that thing going around your waist. Do something silly.

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5 – Mix things up but try to preserve most of your routine. By continuing with the normal you feel a sense of groundedness and a sense that everything’s going to be okay.  I’m talking about things like finding a creative way to stay connected with positive people, loved ones, and family. Get familiar with Zoom, Skype, other technological ways to connect. Another way to keep your routine, but change it is to start your evening walk to the North instead of to the South, if that’s the way you normally go. Take a different route to the grocery store even if it takes you 15 minutes longer. You won’t be going by rote, you’ll be forced to engage your brain more to pay attention to the road. Put on clothes if you normally stay in your pajamas. Have breakfast in a different room. If you normally shower, take a bath.

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6 – Ground yourself. The Earth is constant. Try to exercise even if it’s just a walk around your back yard. Get outside and enjoy the sunshine for a few minutes. Listen to the birds, the cicadas, the neighbor’s barking dog. Zero in on the minutia, the things you’ve grown accustomed to tuning out. These things are signs of life going on around you despite the unrest. Nature is very healing. Take a walk in the woods if you can. Breathe in the scent of leaves, and damp soil. Watch the waves if you’re at the beach. Collect shells even if you’ve done it a million times.

7 – Metaphysical awareness. Practice yoga or meditation if you can. If you’ve never done it, give it a shot. I enjoy soothing music with sounds of nature thrown in. I like to use aromatherapy candles or incense. Enjoy peppermint candies or chocolate kisses. Engage all your senses so that you have multiple soothing stimuli entering your body. Focus on the small, the taste, the sound. Don’t just listen to the music, sing along. Or better yet, get up and dance. Let your mind and body be free even if just for a few minutes.

8 – THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE! Take a break from the news and social media. Limiting your media exposure is crucial to good emotional health. Keep a journal if that helps. Purge the day’s negativity into the pages, close the book and forget about it. Block your “friends” who continually post negative things or things that make your sad. You can “hide” posts on Facebook and Twitter. Take them off your feed. Don’t be afraid to “unfriend” someone. I’ll bet most of us that more than 20 “friends” in our social media circles. Some of you probably have more than 200. Honestly, are you really “friends” with all those people? Can you afford to cut a few loose and still live a prosperous and long life? It’s not like you have to cut off a toe or a finger. Just let that not-really-a-friend person go. You probably don’t even know them. If you wouldn’t invite them into your home, don’t invite them into your life. Don’t hang on to them. Buh-bye.

In closing, Crisis Fatigue is real and most of us are experiencing it in some manner. But if you find yourself in severe crisis mode, there’s no shame in talking to a mental health professional. Even one or two visits can improve your disposition if you keep an open mind. Mental health is as important as physical health. You only go around this world once, shouldn’t you make it the best trip ever? If talking to a professional can help, shouldn’t you do it? You deserve it. You’ve earned it.

National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. 1-800-662-HELP (4357) https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

So there’s my wrap-up of this new syndrome. How about you dear readers, any other suggestions for fighting Crisis Fatigue? What has helped you keep your joy during these trying times?

Word of the Day: Widdershins

Fun Fact about me: The word of the day is fun. I challenge you to use it in a sentence.

Original post by Jansen Schmidt, July 2020. Images by Google, Pexels, and giphy.com.

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