Reach for a better frame of mind

Our worlds are in limbo at the moment.

Hopeful signs say we’re close to breaking out of the anxiety of the past year and returning to some sort of normalcy, yet we don’t know when that will happen or what the world will look like when it does.

Vaccines are helping, but will they be enough to reach herd immunity? What will that look like? Will we really be able to hug our friends again? Will we still be wearing masks when we do? Will we ever sit in a crowded theater again and not feel anxious by the proximity of too many people?

It’s too soon yet to tell if we can relax and look forward to better times, so where does that leave us now?

For many of the local professionals in the health-related fields, this time before the breaking of the post-pandemic dawn, means more and more people are feeling at the end of their rope. The stress has been building for so long that people have lost their resiliency and are stretched frighteningly thin.

Small changes are beginning to break us.

Parents and adolescents are struggling with work and school stressors. Remote learning and the transition back to school has made it difficult for students to stay focused on academics.

Elders continue to face isolating circumstances in ways that have not occurred before, even at some of the lowest points in our country’s history. And BIPOC communities continue to experience the brunt of COVID-19 infections and reduced access to vaccines.

Now more than ever, it’s important to remember that it’s always darkest before the dawn and reach for the better state of mind that can carry you through. Take a moment to feel the intensity of this moment, and then find what helps you feel good again, even if it’s just for the moment.

This could be something as simple as listing all the positive things in your life right now, or as complex as deciding now is the moment you seek out professional mental health help.

If it’s the latter, know you won’t be alone.

The local crisis center is seeing more and more individuals who have not reached out before, picking up the phone and calling them. Try it. They can help.

Here’s where to find them.