2020-03-19 FINAL coronavirus article

1. How to Cope with The Coronavirus Outbreak: Adopt A Wise Mind During Trying Times By Bill Benson, LMFT, LPCC www.thementalgym.org Reactions to the spread of the Novel Coronavirus are upending our lives. Let me repeat my opening: Reactions to the spread of this highly-contagious and sometimes deadly disease are rapidly changing our lives. In the coming weeks, as we keep children from attending their schools, as employees must work-from-home, and as we quarantine more and larger geographic areas, know that these are reactions to the threat, not the threat itself. Please know that I am not minimizing the seriousness of this virus nor intentionally stirring controversy in any way. Educating ourselves on disease containment and infection-prevention using trusted sources is paramount for getting through this crisis intact. However, there's a sub-pandemic happening within this current medical outbreak - behavioral issues, which are spreading at alarming rates. These challenges of perception desperately need addressing, containing, and conquering to be free from the psychological consequences of COVID-19. “Ring, Ring” My business phone rings when life becomes disruptive or overwhelming for people. Contact often happens after callers have exhausted all attempts to manage their problems on their own: Many entrench themselves in denial or procrastination to delay tough decision-making. Some scapegoat those around them (or in other parts of the world) to manage their anguish. A few momentarily side-step their issues through escapism - with drugs, alcohol or through compulsively using the Internet. Avoidance is the familiar dynamic in all these scenarios: Circumnavigate an issue with denial, judgment/blame or substances, and you’ll eventually find yourself returning to the same problem-at-hand: When the issue is avoided, the issue remains. Many are facing our currently medically-challenged climate in emotionally dysregulated ways. I am not opposed to people feeling their feelings. I do, however, rely on my clinical understanding that locking ourselves into unrealistic assumptions that keep us perpetually rehashing the same thoughts and emotions is unproductive and unhealthy. Driven by all of this, it seems that lately, there's a lot of irrational behavior masquerading as practical action. Our culture's fervent and repetitive posting and tweeting isn't helping - especially when a segment of the information being shared isn't reliably sourced.

2. “Fear is a mind-killer.” -Frank Herbert, Dune When setting our first therapy appointment, I acknowledge my new client's healthy decision to seek outside assistance. I let them know my role is not to change them but to help them increase their awareness so that they can discover the what’s and why’s of their thinking, feeling, and behaving and update what is no longer useful. Through our sessions together, we'll discover, investigate, and implement logical plans of action that enact better coping and life-management skills. Emotional Regulation A large part of balancing my clients' life-challenges involves presenting rational counterpoints to their habitual perspectives that are most often subjective and emotionally-fueled. I accomplish this, in part, through the Dialectical Behavioral Therapy intervention called Wise Mind: The Wise Mind technique involves acknowledging that feelings like panic, anger, and sadness are palpable and real. However, we must also consider that the roots driving these emotions can come from misinformation, cloudy beliefs, or faulty thinking – and therefore may be ineffective or even inappropriate for the circumstance at hand. We aim to adopt the healthy habit of recognizing distorted thinking and calling it out so that we can shift away from purely emotional reactions and toward more rational responses. Our target is to create a home-base, integrating emotion and logic, and function consistently from this level-headed perspective. Above, notice the overlap between Rational (thinking) and Emotional (feeling) labeled circles. Now focus on the circles' overlay: Wise Mind is the integration of both thinking and feeling that keeps us perceptively balanced. According to veteran DBT practitioner Lane Pederson, PsyD: “We have many mental windows – to our thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations, as well as windows to each of our senses and the environments around us.” Through the practice of Wise Mind, we can create what DBT-ers call a “Teflon” response; the ability to let potentially stressful situations "slide off" instead of "stick" to us. Teflon Mind is not a denial strategy but rather acknowledgment coupled with acceptance, which creates the sure-footed, struggle-free awareness to help us manage even the most challenging of circumstances. "It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters" -Epictetus The best way to diminish fear-susceptibility in these trying times is to practice Wise Mind. By actively pulling ourselves away from emotionality and toward rationality, we become better equipped to psychologically weather any surrounding threat. By recognizing and reinforcing our perspective-shifting abilities, our confidence and resilience is built for both short term personal solutions and long-term cultural benefit. The best way through any challenge is by venturing down life’s path with a balanced gait. For reliable information and updates about Coronavirus, please visit the Center for Disease Control website. Bill Benson is a licensed Psychotherapist and owner of The Mental Gym, an LA-based private practice.