A global pandemic was never really what we had expected for 2020. The year 2020 has always been seen as that futuristic date where we would be travelling in spaceships and life would be transformed into a hi tech utopia. As it turns out we are all on an enforced lockdown and it is playing havoc with our feelings.
What’s happening to us?
Right now, a huge number of people, across the globe will be receiving signals sent from their bodies to their brains that they are not safe, and they should be fleeing from danger or fighting to survive.
They may even feel powerless and frozen with fear. These sensations are known as flight, flight or freeze states.
Thinking about survival would take too long for our primitive ancestors and they would have been dead long before they could think it through. So, our remarkable bodies and our nervous system, use senses such as our hearing to search for signs in our environment to tell us we are ok, it is safe to feel calm and safe to feel sociable.
Covid-19 is not something we can run from, so the on-going nature of these fears and stress responses mean they are affecting people in many distressing ways.
What can we do?
Here at Fusion Spaces we want to help people understand why they are responding in certain ways to the pandemic, and what they can do to make themselves feel better. That is why we have developed a tool kit for calm with some tips and really helpful resources.
At the very heart of calm is our nervous system and if you’d like to learn more we highly recommend the video link to a really accessible explanation of the science of safety and trauma.
These are also calming techniques which you will find useful:
- Belly breathing
- Music to calm and soothe
- Calming through touch
- Tapping (EMF, Emotional Freedom Technique)
- Binaural beats app
- Gong soundbath
- Music as medicine
Thinking activities
We’ve also included some thinking activities too help keep you occupied and in the moment:
- Jigsaw puzzles
- Writing and journaling
- Planning
- Work
- Learning
Mindful activities
At a time like this mindful activities are a must:
- Mindfulness meditation
- Notice nature, sounds, smells and colours
- Breathing exercises
- Music
- Online yoga and tai chi
Stay connected
Humans are social creatures and we need that interaction and connection.
Reduce isolation by connecting:
- Helplines
- Friends and family
- Professional support
- Social groups online
- Like minds
- Mind helpline
- Samaritans
- Safety planning
- Autism helpline 0808 800 4104
- Headspace mindfulness app
If we can help you please email Jayne, jayne@fusion-spaces.com.
