The COVID-19 pandemic has upturned our knowledge of the world. People everywhere are struggling to come to terms with changes in their lives and as Care Workers this is applicable to your work, too: What is allowed? How do we offer help? What is right and wrong? How do we keep ourselves safe? The questions come faster than the answers.
As a Community Care Worker, you will not only be worried about the safety of those you care for, but also for your own well-being. Working at this time can result in isolation from family, friends and even one’s children – the fear of becoming infected, and infecting others, is a real. Also, existing illnesses, poverty and trauma do not disappear during a pandemic – it simply adds layers to what you, as Care Workers, face on a daily basis.
Much is being asked of you in these difficult times, and it is completely normal to feel anxious, angry and overwhelmed. This means that taking care of yourself and your mental health is now more important than ever before.
If you are feeling stressed or worried, call or send a WhatsApp to 081 514 3120 and a therapist from Paedspal will give you a confidential call back. (Mondays to Fridays, 9am-4pm)
Boundaries are protective. Although it feels that your role demands more and more from you (and it does), it’s important to set strong boundaries. This could mean ‘switching off’ after hours or setting a cut-off time for calls or messages. You may be hearing and engaging with COVID-19-related material all day – during work, on your phone, the radio, TV and conversations after hours. While it’s important to stay up-to-date with current news, it’s also crucial to protect yourself from information overload. Try to limit how much you engage with that content. Set time to enjoy your hobbies and interests, take time to exercise, and do family activities together if possible. Protecting your personal time may not only help boost your mood, it could help you manage your daily work as well.
Communication is key. We all want to feel safe in our work spaces, and we can only do this if we have trust in our teams and our colleagues. Communicate your concerns clearly – whether it is about your hours, your access to PPE or your own health. Feeling unheard and undervalued can worsen your anxieties and fears. Remember that it is within your right and ability to ask – for more information if you need it, for clarity if you feel confused, for PPE if you don’t have any. Health and Community Care Workers spend much of their time hearing the concerns of others, and it is just as important to be heard and seen yourselves. Remember that most community clinics and hospitals have a mental health department. If you feel overwhelmed and unsure, you can always ask a nurse to be referred to a mental health professional.
Staying connected is protective. Working during this time may feel exhausting and frightening. The stresses that you faced before the pandemic could feel even worse now. Social distancing means that many people feel disconnected from those in their lives, and sometimes loneliness can feel as painful as a physical illness. Set aside time to connect with loved ones, even if it’s over the phone. Talk to friends, co-workers or family about how you feel, and reach out them when you feel lonely. In these times, be aware of exactly what you’re feeling and name it – sad, angry, anxious, frustrated, shameful, lonely, etc. Try to share these honest feelings with those closest to you. It’s important to seek help early. If you feel stressed, or if things begin to feel unmanageable, remember that you can access professional help. Trained counsellors or psychologists are available to help you through this.
In your line of work, you may be used to dealing with crises and managing big problems. However, these are very unusual and difficult times. As Community Care Workers, you don’t have to deal with these new challenges alone, especially if you are feeling distressed. Remember that you can ask for help. The right time to ask for help is any time.
Here are some situations in which you might consider reaching out:
When you are feeling intense emotions that are distressing and overwhelming, it is your mind’s way of telling you that things might be unmanageable right now. All this means is that you have to take the step to reach out to someone for help. You can:
Loneliness is normal during this time of social distancing. The people we were used to seeing every day or every weekend may not be in our lives the way they used to be. This means that we have to find new ways to connect. You can reach out to your church group if that is something that you enjoy. You can start a WhatsApp group with other Community Care Workers to support each other. You can reach out to old friends and acquaintances via phone calls and text messages.
Seeing colleagues struggle might be painful to witness. Even though we are required to physically distance, there are ways to stay socially connected. If you see or hear of a Community Care Worker who is struggling and needs help, reach out to them. Send them a message of support, add them to an existing WhatsApp group of Community Care Workers, or connect them with their local Community Connector. This not only uplifts and supports others, but might even make you feel connected and positive.
If you want to be connected to a Community Connector to ask any questions about staying connected, please send an email to backup@maskedheroes.org.za.
As Community Care Workers, your focus and attention may often be on others. Your job requires your mind to focus on well-being of those around you. This can sometimes be challenging and even overwhelming. Your worries about yourself, your family, friends and colleagues may feel intense. Remember that feelings of sadness, anger, frustration or anxiety are normal. You are experiencing a very new and difficult challenge. The hardest part of this challenge might be caring for yourself in the midst of the chaos.
Take some time out every day to do some, or all, of these activities, to help you cope with overwhelming moments:
Sometimes we can feel a lot of emotions that get muddled up. The feelings might be too strong, and there might be too many of them. Sometimes we can’t identify which emotions we’re feeling and so we try to ignore them. Instead, we can name them. Sit down for a few minutes a day with a pen and paper, and write down what you feel in that moment: “Irritated”, “Angry”, “Lonely”, “Worried”, “Happy”, “Anxious”, “Sad”. Naming our feelings makes them less scary and confusing, and makes it easier for us to communicate them to others if we need to.
Place one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. Breathe in deeply and slowly through your nose. Feel your chest and stomach fill with air as you do. Then and breathe out through your mouth. Feel your chest and stomach fall. Repeat this for however long you need. This exercise helps physically slow down your body
The world may feel out of control at times in this strange and stressful situation. You might feel anxious about not doing or changing enough. Perhaps you’re anxious about the future, your safety or your friends and family. This can make it even harder to cope throughout the day. Although it can be preoccupying to think about everything that is out of control, it’s important to remember that there are some things that you can control. Perhaps you can control:
Even if it’s not the above, maybe you have control in other areas of your life. Write them down to remind yourself that you also have some power and agency in this difficult time.
Your work is important but demanding. After work, you might find yourself thinking about the people you care for, or the stories you’ve heard or maybe even your work-day tomorrow. An important part of being an effective Community Care Worker is ensuring that you care for yourself too. This means that you can try to make some space and time for yourself. This can include:
If you can think of other activities you prefer, do those! Remember that self-care isn’t once off – it’s a lifestyle. Try to practice a few of these a week or a day. If you need more assistance with overwhelming feelings, we’ve got you. Send an email to backup@maskedheroes.org.za to be connected to people who can help support you.
People feel a wide range of emotions during a disaster. You might think that you’re alone in what you’re feeling, or perhaps you worry that there is something wrong with you. But strong emotions and reactions are often a perfectly normal and common response to disastrous events.
If you are worried about how you have been feeling, remember that:
At different times, you might feel different things. As the pandemic progresses and your work starts to feel more demanding, here are a few examples of what you might experience:
|
Features of a Pandemic |
Some normal feelings |
Some normal responses |
|
Uncertainty about our lives or the future |
Anxiety, sadness, euphoria, fear, shame, anxiety |
Losing focus, becoming distracted, eating/sleeping too much or too little, |
|
Ongoing changes to our lives, |
Irritation, frustration, grief, sadness, anger, anxiety |
Withdrawing, numbing, avoiding people or interaction, burnout |
|
Loss (of people, livelihood or lifestyle) |
Grief, sadness, anger, shame, guilt, confusion, anxiety |
Losing hope or joy, withdrawal, numbing, burnout |
These are just some of the feelings you may experience – you might experience other feelings too. Every Community Care Worker may be going through their own unique experience, but we have a lot in common. So don’t be hard on yourself in this time.
Source: healthscotland.scot
For more tips and resources to manage your mental and physical health, have a look at our ‘Manage your health‘ page.
As Care Workers you are facing a pandemic in the midst of existing hardship. You may feel confused and helpless at times, and you may find yourself making difficult decisions during its course. Perfection in your work is not the goal. In these circumstances, the work that you are able and willing to provide is invaluable. Importantly, in your own struggles through this, remember that you can reach out for help and care:
Lifeline
National 24/7 toll-free helpine: 0861 322 322
Or write to: lifelineoffice@gmail.com
South African Depression and Anxiety Group
National 24/7 toll-free helpline:
0800 21 22 23
0800 70 80 90
0800 456 789
And their Suicide Helpline:
0800 567 567
“Don’t ever make decisions based on fear. Make decisions based on hope and possibility. Make decisions based on what should happen, not what shouldn’t.”
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