COVID Trauma

Are you easily triggered or often moody or irritated? Are you constantly anxious or worrying?  Is your time management so out of whack that you are not taking time to have fun, or even to take care of yourself? Are you easily overwhelmed, much more easily than a year ago? Are you catching more colds than normal and getting multiple covid tests, just to “make sure”?  Are you getting addicted to something: gaming, shopping, social-media, alcohol, etc.?

Maybe you are having more

  • Aches and pains

  • Decreased energy

  • Difficulty sleeping

  • Disorganized thinking

  • Fatigue

  • Feeling a loss of control

  • Feelings of helplessness

  • Frequent illnesses and infections

  • Gastrointestinal complaints

  • Headaches

  • Irritability

  • Muscle tension

  • Nervousness and anxiety

  • Trouble concentrating

  • Upset stomach[1]

COVID-19 is a year old and you may be experiencing chronic stress.  You may even be having chronic trauma because of it.  Chronic trauma is when the trauma is “long-term” and you kind of “get used to it”, but it’s still trauma and it affects your body and brain and you are maybe not even aware of it.  You may have bad dreams or even flashbacks, PTSD, substance abuse or even disassociation and disconnection from other people. 

Here are symptoms of Chronic Trauma:

  • Panic or extreme anxiety

  • Confusion or irritation

  • Dissociation or feeling disconnected from himself and his surroundings

  • Insomnia or odd sleep patterns

  • Suspiciousness or acting in strange ways

  • Poor grooming habits or a lack of self-care

  • Loss of focus or production at work or school[2]

What can you do: seek professional help, find good friends to confide in, take a break (if you can), get outside and move (or move inside for those living in the upper Midwest at the moment).  Together we sill survive COVID and the trauma of it all, but only together.

Have a positive week! 

Patricia Jehle                           patricia@jehle-coaching.com

 


[1] https://www.verywellmind.com/chronic-stress-3145104

 

[2] https://skywoodrecovery.com/chronic-versus-acute-trauma/

Business Coaching, Coaching, Reflection, SupervisionPatricia JehleJehle CoachingPTSD, Trauma, COVID-19, stressComment