Day 41

April 21, 2020

On March 31, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the pandemic “the most challenging crisis we have faced since the Second World War.” It is hard to believe but on March 21st the U.S. was sixth in number of infections. On March 31st when this quote was stated we were first. Now the epicenter of this virus known as Covid19 our country is fighting over restrictions in regard to reopening. And the worst may still be ahead. Money is truly the root of all evil as economy and commerce it seems is more important than saving lives.

In a matter of 41 days since the World Health Organization declared Covid19 a pandemic the disease has been reported in every continent except Antarctica and in over 180 countries. To this day there have been in the excess of 2.5 million cases and over 175,000 deaths. The numbers are still increasing as new cases are still being reported in the hundreds or thousands in many countries. Two of the lowest increases are being seen in China (where the virus started and South Korea (one of the fastest to employ social distancing and stay-at-home orders).

So we continue to live and fight against this invisible threat without a cure and only moderate and slow response of treatments (although five days ago a Chicago hospital is seeing decreased fever and improvements in breathing from the trials of an antiviral medicine known as remdesivir). If proven to be safe and effective it could be the first approved treatment against the disease.

During this time of stress/fear, isolation, and anxiety we may find it more difficult to regulate our emotions. However, this is the most important time to work on this skill. The ability to regulate our emotions varies from person to person. It is our reaction to a situation. It is how our brain responds to stimulus. It starts in the amygdala, the part of our brain responsible for the fight or flight response, and it is up to us to not bite at the "bait" that causes us to react. It is this raw overreaction that we can avoid by buying time before answering or acting. By allowing time we access our frontal lobe, where reasoning and perspective can be applied. Recognizing choice is the key to regulating your emotions and making healthy decisions. Mindfulness and other self-regulating practices can help as well as naming your emotions. Being in touch with them and understanding them can help regulate those emotions. Being in control of your emotions can directly influence the quality of your life. And because emotions play an important role in adaptation this becomes increasingly important during these fluid times. It has been proven that you can reprogram your mind with inner dialogue and self-talk. Begin today with some positive affirmations that can lead to better emotional regulation and inner peace in an otherwise torrid outside world. May you find it inside yourself to care for your mind.