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How to Manage Stress and Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Dr. Melissa Brown from UPMC Pinnacle Psychological Associates is here with us today to talk about how to manage stress and anxiety during the uncertainty of COVID-19.
Featuring:
Melissa Brown, Psy.D.
Melissa Brown is a clinical psychologist, a 2007 graduate of the clinical psychology program at Chestnut Hill College. She completed her post-doctoral fellowship in which she specialized in the treatment of autism and developmental disorders. Dr. Brown has treated toddlers,children/adolescents, and adults with co-morbid diagnoses of autism and anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms,depression, ADHD, and trauma. She has a range of clinical experience in numerous types of mental health settings from residential to outpatient to community mental health centers.Dr. Brown utilizes an integrative approach; drawing upon object relations, cognitive behavioral and verbal behavioral modalities to treat various mental health disorders affecting both children/adolescents and adults. Transcription:
Bill Klaproth: This UPMC Pinnacle Podcast COVID-19 recorded on April 10th, 2020. The stress and anxiety of the Coronavirus pandemic is affecting us all. So Dr. Melissa Brown from UPMCs Pinnacle Psychological Associates is here with us today to talk about how to manage stress and anxiety during the uncertainty of COVID-19. This is Healthy Are You, a podcast from UPMC Pinnacle. I'm Bill Klaproth. Dr. Brown. Thank you so much for your time. So first off, how is COVID-19 effecting the community’s emotional health?
Dr. Brown: Well, I'm seeing a few different responses from people. You know, the number one of course is anxiety because there's so many unknown factors and frankly as a world we've not ever had to deal with anything such as day at home. You know, we are not used to that. So people are very anxious about what does this mean and they're anxious about the illness itself and of course worried about loved ones. Are they going to get it or is anybody in their family going to die? Of course, those are the top anxieties that I've been hearing about, you know, another experience people are having is depression. And as we're, you know, more isolated from our family and not able to engage in the different activities that we're normally or typically doing. And our typical routines are certainly disrupted and schools are canceled and activities are canceled. It really, can certainly help, you know, contribute to that depression.
And the other piece that I'm hearing about from a lot of people is also anger. As a psychologist, that's not surprising to hear about because you know, people are angry, they're, you know, maybe weddings are being postponed or you know, milestone events like graduations or proms or you know, even scholarship opportunities for our seniors that are going off to higher education. And you know, sometimes, you know, I'm also hearing just people are frustrated with the mixed messages that they're receiving from the media or the Federal or State or local communities. And that, that's really just a, what the big three, if you will, that I've been hearing about from people.
Host: And it's okay for all of us to have these feelings of anxiety, depression, anger, frustration, considering what's happening. These feelings are normal. Is that right?
Dr. Brown: That is very true. This is certainly unprecedented. You know, anxiety is a natural bodily response to a, to a situation where we have to act quickly and respond quickly when it becomes a problem. When it's long-term and it's constant. So right now we do have to act very quickly and ensuring the safety of everybody, hence why the, our governments have acted, for what some people feel so strongly that they were jumping the gun about putting stay at home orders in place. And again, that's just, you know, it's so unknown to us that we just don't have a file folder in our brain, if you will, and how to manage this. We know how to start our cars, we know how to get our coffee, we know how to do all those things. We don't know how to deal with an a national or global pandemic just because it's not been something that we've had to ever deal with.
Host: Right. Really good point. So it's okay to feel anxious or to feel angry because you lost your job or a big event has been canceled or depression cause you're not able to be around your friends or loved ones. So then what are some tips for helping the community to manage stress and anxiety during this time?
Dr. Brown: So I tell people to go back to their roots. You know, the biggest thing, you know, number one is stick with what you already know. And that's a routine. So get up every day, get a shower, get out of the pajamas. I know it's tempting, they're comfortable to stay in them all day. But if we can help our brain recognize that, Hey, we have a purpose, there's something we're doing today, whether that's going from your bedroom to your computer in your home, that's your commute for right now. That's fine. And that helps the brain kind of switch over. So that's one way that you can feel in control of something. Of course, eating and sleeping on regular rotations, if you will. And because it's, again, that's something people get out of schedules get kind of wonky, if you will. And, and out of sorts. So if you can get on that regular sleeping schedule and eating schedule again, that will help again nourish your brain in different ways. And another thing I'm just encouraging people to do is connect with others and don't, you know, try not to isolate.
And whether you connect through various social media apps or you know, other electronic methods or even with good old fashioned snail mail, that's something to do, you know, write a letter which most of us probably haven't done in a long time. So exercise of course. Yeah. Getting outside and exercising and again, there's mixed messages. Can we go outside, you know, again, psyche that anxiety of course following the recommendations of the CDC and other, you know, department of health and other organizations is important to do. And I, you know, the other thing I just say, limit your exposure to the two things that are creating the anxiety for you. So finding a time of day to check in on the news. What are the newest developments, but limiting that, especially if you're finding that it's spiking your anxiety. And finally, the biggest thing that I encourage people to do is find a way that gives you a sense of purpose and in these times that are so unprecedented, people want to help and how can you help? And you know, maybe it is selling mass or getting groceries for an elderly neighbor or just simply checking in on an elderly neighbor, you know, that helps people really feel like they can do something and that they, again, getting a sense of control. And as I stated earlier, that's the part that really contributes to our anxieties that out of control feeling.
Host: Absolutely. That's a great list and thank you for sharing that with us. So I was taking notes, Dr. Brown. So number one, pay attention to your routine. Number two, eating and sleeping in a regular rotation, right? People working at home schedules can get out of whack. So make sure you pay attention to eating right and sleeping well in regular patterns. Try to connect. Don't isolate. You're right, we can connect on FaceTime, zoom, even a phone call or like you say, snail mail. Get out there and exercise. Number four, we can go out of our homes. Of course we do have to practice safe, social distancing, but we can go in the backyard and exercise or just feel the sunshine, which feels great. Limit exposure to things that spike your anxiety. Number five, right? I know if I have the news on too long all day I start to be like, Oh my God, so good to shut the TV off and don't absorb all of the bad news that we hear coming out of New York and other places. And then number six, find ways to give you a sense of purpose. So I love that list. Hopefully everybody jotted those notes down. That's a great way to help manage our anxiety and stress during this unprecedented time. So Dr. Brown, how should we adults talk to children about COVID-19?
Dr. Brown: Yeah, this is a great question, and I really think it's an important question because people typically take either the stance of overwhelming their kids with information or not telling them anything. And I really encourage parents, you set the tone for your child from the beginning. Your child is looking to you and you are the role model and they will follow with what you're doing, not necessarily what you're saying, but what you're doing. So if you're panicked and anxious and exhibiting those factors, it's certainly will come across to your children. So the important thing is to stay calm. And then I just say, talk to your child, what do they already know about what's going on and why schools are closed? Why are all these big milestones canceled? Why can't they see grandma and grandpa, etcetera. And that's a great jumping point for parents, utilize this to first just find out what your kiddo knows and ask them and how are they feeling and just do a check in with them.
And of course I am a fan of being honest and direct and providing accurate information of course, in that developmentally appropriate language. So you know, you want to share with them, right information, accurate information so we're not fueling any other anxieties. And then just like with us adults provide your kiddo with ways that they can feel in control because I imagine they probably are missing their friends from school and they are missing school to some degree. So it is important to provide them with some ways they can do it. And that's, you know, again they can control washing their hands, and you know, just calling, texting, connecting with their peers, however that might be. And of course limiting their exposure to TV, radio and even the conversations that might be happening in your house because kids can misconstrue information, and really twist it around in their brain. And of course that can spike their anxieties.
Host: So I love what you said there. You set the tone, they won't necessarily listen to what you say, but they will follow your body language and if you're feeling anxious, they're going to feel anxious. Right. So that's a great tip. They will follow what you are doing. And then you say, talk to your child and ask them what they know about this and ask them how they're feeling, which is a great way to try to understand how you can help them if they are feeling anxious or not. And then provide them with ways they can feel in control. So by taking those steps, it should help give you a roadmap on how to talk to your child. Is that right?
Dr. Brown: That is so true. And that that way they direct you and you will tap into the questions that they have, and not necessarily giving them information or spiking anxieties by just going off of a monologue with them. You know, just saying, here's what's going on X, Y, Z. And that way you can really customize it to your child. And of course teenagers are different, you know, a story in the sense of you're going to have to pry them out of their rooms. I'm sure they're depressed too, because they're missing their social connections, and the different events that typically go on in late middle school, high school time frame. And really just check in with them and prod them a little bit more than you typically would do.
Host: Great, great advice. So then for someone that is feeling anxious or stressed out, or you were talking about depression earlier, when should a person seek professional help for stress and anxiety?
Dr. Brown: Well, I think initially, even if you're feeling this is uncomfortable for you and you feel like you need to talk about it in a safe place, it's often certainly helpful to verbalize what's going on your, your mind. I call it the verbal processing that happens in therapy. And knowing that therapy is confidential, it can't go anywhere. So people can feel a little safer sharing their vulnerability. So if you're feeling that way, it's okay to give us a call. But of course if you're feeling like your anxiety is becoming so intrusive that you can't think you can't sleep, you can't eat, of course, give us a call. And absolutely, if there's any thoughts of wanting to harm yourself or anybody else and those are definite, you know, don't pass go, immediately call someone and find out, you know, what sources of assistance there are available to you.
Host: Okay, that makes sense. Well, Dr. Brown, this has really been informative. Thank you so much for your time. I know. Busy. We appreciate it. Thank you again.
Dr. Brown: Oh, you're welcome.
Host: That's Dr. Melissa Brown. And for more information, please visit umpcpinnacle.com/phpa, that's upmcpinnacle.com/phpa. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out the full podcast library for topics of interest to you. This is Healthy Are You, a podcast from UPMC Pinnacle. I'm Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.
Bill Klaproth: This UPMC Pinnacle Podcast COVID-19 recorded on April 10th, 2020. The stress and anxiety of the Coronavirus pandemic is affecting us all. So Dr. Melissa Brown from UPMCs Pinnacle Psychological Associates is here with us today to talk about how to manage stress and anxiety during the uncertainty of COVID-19. This is Healthy Are You, a podcast from UPMC Pinnacle. I'm Bill Klaproth. Dr. Brown. Thank you so much for your time. So first off, how is COVID-19 effecting the community’s emotional health?
Dr. Brown: Well, I'm seeing a few different responses from people. You know, the number one of course is anxiety because there's so many unknown factors and frankly as a world we've not ever had to deal with anything such as day at home. You know, we are not used to that. So people are very anxious about what does this mean and they're anxious about the illness itself and of course worried about loved ones. Are they going to get it or is anybody in their family going to die? Of course, those are the top anxieties that I've been hearing about, you know, another experience people are having is depression. And as we're, you know, more isolated from our family and not able to engage in the different activities that we're normally or typically doing. And our typical routines are certainly disrupted and schools are canceled and activities are canceled. It really, can certainly help, you know, contribute to that depression.
And the other piece that I'm hearing about from a lot of people is also anger. As a psychologist, that's not surprising to hear about because you know, people are angry, they're, you know, maybe weddings are being postponed or you know, milestone events like graduations or proms or you know, even scholarship opportunities for our seniors that are going off to higher education. And you know, sometimes, you know, I'm also hearing just people are frustrated with the mixed messages that they're receiving from the media or the Federal or State or local communities. And that, that's really just a, what the big three, if you will, that I've been hearing about from people.
Host: And it's okay for all of us to have these feelings of anxiety, depression, anger, frustration, considering what's happening. These feelings are normal. Is that right?
Dr. Brown: That is very true. This is certainly unprecedented. You know, anxiety is a natural bodily response to a, to a situation where we have to act quickly and respond quickly when it becomes a problem. When it's long-term and it's constant. So right now we do have to act very quickly and ensuring the safety of everybody, hence why the, our governments have acted, for what some people feel so strongly that they were jumping the gun about putting stay at home orders in place. And again, that's just, you know, it's so unknown to us that we just don't have a file folder in our brain, if you will, and how to manage this. We know how to start our cars, we know how to get our coffee, we know how to do all those things. We don't know how to deal with an a national or global pandemic just because it's not been something that we've had to ever deal with.
Host: Right. Really good point. So it's okay to feel anxious or to feel angry because you lost your job or a big event has been canceled or depression cause you're not able to be around your friends or loved ones. So then what are some tips for helping the community to manage stress and anxiety during this time?
Dr. Brown: So I tell people to go back to their roots. You know, the biggest thing, you know, number one is stick with what you already know. And that's a routine. So get up every day, get a shower, get out of the pajamas. I know it's tempting, they're comfortable to stay in them all day. But if we can help our brain recognize that, Hey, we have a purpose, there's something we're doing today, whether that's going from your bedroom to your computer in your home, that's your commute for right now. That's fine. And that helps the brain kind of switch over. So that's one way that you can feel in control of something. Of course, eating and sleeping on regular rotations, if you will. And because it's, again, that's something people get out of schedules get kind of wonky, if you will. And, and out of sorts. So if you can get on that regular sleeping schedule and eating schedule again, that will help again nourish your brain in different ways. And another thing I'm just encouraging people to do is connect with others and don't, you know, try not to isolate.
And whether you connect through various social media apps or you know, other electronic methods or even with good old fashioned snail mail, that's something to do, you know, write a letter which most of us probably haven't done in a long time. So exercise of course. Yeah. Getting outside and exercising and again, there's mixed messages. Can we go outside, you know, again, psyche that anxiety of course following the recommendations of the CDC and other, you know, department of health and other organizations is important to do. And I, you know, the other thing I just say, limit your exposure to the two things that are creating the anxiety for you. So finding a time of day to check in on the news. What are the newest developments, but limiting that, especially if you're finding that it's spiking your anxiety. And finally, the biggest thing that I encourage people to do is find a way that gives you a sense of purpose and in these times that are so unprecedented, people want to help and how can you help? And you know, maybe it is selling mass or getting groceries for an elderly neighbor or just simply checking in on an elderly neighbor, you know, that helps people really feel like they can do something and that they, again, getting a sense of control. And as I stated earlier, that's the part that really contributes to our anxieties that out of control feeling.
Host: Absolutely. That's a great list and thank you for sharing that with us. So I was taking notes, Dr. Brown. So number one, pay attention to your routine. Number two, eating and sleeping in a regular rotation, right? People working at home schedules can get out of whack. So make sure you pay attention to eating right and sleeping well in regular patterns. Try to connect. Don't isolate. You're right, we can connect on FaceTime, zoom, even a phone call or like you say, snail mail. Get out there and exercise. Number four, we can go out of our homes. Of course we do have to practice safe, social distancing, but we can go in the backyard and exercise or just feel the sunshine, which feels great. Limit exposure to things that spike your anxiety. Number five, right? I know if I have the news on too long all day I start to be like, Oh my God, so good to shut the TV off and don't absorb all of the bad news that we hear coming out of New York and other places. And then number six, find ways to give you a sense of purpose. So I love that list. Hopefully everybody jotted those notes down. That's a great way to help manage our anxiety and stress during this unprecedented time. So Dr. Brown, how should we adults talk to children about COVID-19?
Dr. Brown: Yeah, this is a great question, and I really think it's an important question because people typically take either the stance of overwhelming their kids with information or not telling them anything. And I really encourage parents, you set the tone for your child from the beginning. Your child is looking to you and you are the role model and they will follow with what you're doing, not necessarily what you're saying, but what you're doing. So if you're panicked and anxious and exhibiting those factors, it's certainly will come across to your children. So the important thing is to stay calm. And then I just say, talk to your child, what do they already know about what's going on and why schools are closed? Why are all these big milestones canceled? Why can't they see grandma and grandpa, etcetera. And that's a great jumping point for parents, utilize this to first just find out what your kiddo knows and ask them and how are they feeling and just do a check in with them.
And of course I am a fan of being honest and direct and providing accurate information of course, in that developmentally appropriate language. So you know, you want to share with them, right information, accurate information so we're not fueling any other anxieties. And then just like with us adults provide your kiddo with ways that they can feel in control because I imagine they probably are missing their friends from school and they are missing school to some degree. So it is important to provide them with some ways they can do it. And that's, you know, again they can control washing their hands, and you know, just calling, texting, connecting with their peers, however that might be. And of course limiting their exposure to TV, radio and even the conversations that might be happening in your house because kids can misconstrue information, and really twist it around in their brain. And of course that can spike their anxieties.
Host: So I love what you said there. You set the tone, they won't necessarily listen to what you say, but they will follow your body language and if you're feeling anxious, they're going to feel anxious. Right. So that's a great tip. They will follow what you are doing. And then you say, talk to your child and ask them what they know about this and ask them how they're feeling, which is a great way to try to understand how you can help them if they are feeling anxious or not. And then provide them with ways they can feel in control. So by taking those steps, it should help give you a roadmap on how to talk to your child. Is that right?
Dr. Brown: That is so true. And that that way they direct you and you will tap into the questions that they have, and not necessarily giving them information or spiking anxieties by just going off of a monologue with them. You know, just saying, here's what's going on X, Y, Z. And that way you can really customize it to your child. And of course teenagers are different, you know, a story in the sense of you're going to have to pry them out of their rooms. I'm sure they're depressed too, because they're missing their social connections, and the different events that typically go on in late middle school, high school time frame. And really just check in with them and prod them a little bit more than you typically would do.
Host: Great, great advice. So then for someone that is feeling anxious or stressed out, or you were talking about depression earlier, when should a person seek professional help for stress and anxiety?
Dr. Brown: Well, I think initially, even if you're feeling this is uncomfortable for you and you feel like you need to talk about it in a safe place, it's often certainly helpful to verbalize what's going on your, your mind. I call it the verbal processing that happens in therapy. And knowing that therapy is confidential, it can't go anywhere. So people can feel a little safer sharing their vulnerability. So if you're feeling that way, it's okay to give us a call. But of course if you're feeling like your anxiety is becoming so intrusive that you can't think you can't sleep, you can't eat, of course, give us a call. And absolutely, if there's any thoughts of wanting to harm yourself or anybody else and those are definite, you know, don't pass go, immediately call someone and find out, you know, what sources of assistance there are available to you.
Host: Okay, that makes sense. Well, Dr. Brown, this has really been informative. Thank you so much for your time. I know. Busy. We appreciate it. Thank you again.
Dr. Brown: Oh, you're welcome.
Host: That's Dr. Melissa Brown. And for more information, please visit umpcpinnacle.com/phpa, that's upmcpinnacle.com/phpa. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out the full podcast library for topics of interest to you. This is Healthy Are You, a podcast from UPMC Pinnacle. I'm Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.