#RTW of COVID-19 and Beyond: Understanding Your Reactions

April 27, 2020
By Sam Katerji, MA, RP and Carrie Pollard, MSW, RSW

There have been countless sudden changes as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Some are shared by many, and some are unique to you. In a short period of time, students have had to learn to adapt to online learning and exams and had move without a lot of time to plan or pack.  For some, moving wasn’t an option because home is in another country.  For some, it felt safer to stay in Waterloo rather than return to an unsafe or unsupportive family environment.  Naturally, your emotional reactions are mixed as well: you may feel relief and comfort being at home with family or you may feel the tension of living in a space that is uncomfortable.

What impact has the pandemic had on you? 

Understanding your psychological responses to the effects of this global health crisis will allow you to have compassion for yourself and others as you navigate the uncertainty and ambiguity of your current circumstances. It is unclear how long this pandemic will last or how it will impact your finances, health, relationships, and well-being in six months or a year.

Keep your head up - there are proven ways to get through this! 

Uncertainty triggers anxiety and safety-seeking behaviour. This is why you hear more people talking or posting online about basic needs, like food (sharing recipes) and other essentials (hoarding toilet paper), and shelter (home renovation or organization projects).  In addition, people are more isolated and can’t participate in many of their regular activities. This triggers loss and grief reactions.  It is not possible to engage in most normal activities right now. The combination of loss and uncertainty is confusing!  You may even go back and forth between feeling overwhelmed and trapped and feeling like everything is the same.  It’s also natural to have moments when you prefer to get wrapped up in studying and forget about everything that has changed.

Feelings Check-in

Sometimes it's hard to identify what you are feeling.  Sometimes it's one emotion, such as irritation, and other times it's a mixture, like sadness and loneliness. Becoming more in-tune with your feelings and responses will help identify what you need for coping. Take note of some of the emotions you might be feeling below:

• Apprehension, anxiety, overwhelmed, fear, panicky
• Agitation, irritation, annoyance, anger
• Embarrassed, ashamed, self-conscious
• Guilty, regretful
• Happy, hopeful, optimistic, relief
• Sad, disappointed, hurt, lonely, ‘blah’

Wellness Strategies

What can we do to cope with the ever-changing new normal'? To start, consider the ways you have been coping.  Make a list of what you have been doing and reflect on whether it has been helpful.  When people are dealing with difficult situations and intense emotions, they can be drawn to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as avoidance, denial, numbing, and withdrawing.  People do this when things feel ‘too much.’  It’s tempting and natural to want to escape it or push it down.  Avoidance and denial may look like repeatedly distracting yourself online.  You might find yourself sleeping, eating, or drinking alcohol more behaviour because it numbs your emotions. These will provide temporary relief but can lead to much bigger problems, such as procrastination, financial stress, or disordered eating. They may contribute to a disconnection with your healthy supports because you may feel increasingly like an outsider.  

Over the next few days, the Student Wellness Centre will be posting more articles in this series that will describe strategies to help you ride the wave of the changes caused by the pandemic and maintain mental wellness.

These articles are based on, Riding the Wave of COVID-19 and Beyond, a printable resource that includes references activities and references. If you would like a copy of that article, please email wellness@wlu.ca