We’ve got a lot on our minds these days, so on Friday we decided to set our problems aside and relax with The Charlotte Observer. There was plenty to distract us:
- “More than 100 flights canceled at Charlotte airport ahead of expected snow”
- “NC Gov. Cooper calls for federal help as Charlotte hospitals struggle with COVID surge”
- “Charlotte could see more snow than expected from latest winter storm, NWS says”
- “Staff shortages soar inside NC prisons. Officers are ‘exhausted,’ inmates feel the pinch”
- “Some members getting alerted about a September ransomware attack, Charlotte YMCA says”
Yikes.
Um, what’s on TV? No, not broadcast TV with news and other scary stuff. Let’s try Netflix. In fact, is there a streaming service that shows nothing but uplifting fantasy? That would be nice. Might be worth paying extra for…
There’s a lot going on, and too much of it would be unpleasant any time, but as we come up on the second anniversary of our pandemic ordeal, it’s hard to ignore that that one has made all the other problems just that much harder to take. By the way, did you see that the other day Dr. Fauci said that pretty much everybody was going to get Omicron? Or did you forget reading that, because since then you and half the people you know have gotten it?
Never mind. What can we do?
Well, to some extent we’re just going to have to tough it out longer than we thought. That may not be welcome news, but reflect — your grandparents lived through World War II. You can do this.
Beyond that, it turns out that aside from telling us to wear masks and get vaccines, the CDC has some advice on dealing with the stress. Here are some of the ideas. Note that we sort of already gave you a heads-up about the first one:
- Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including those on social media. It’s good to be informed, but hearing about the pandemic constantly can be upsetting. Consider limiting news to just a couple times a day and disconnecting from phone, tv, and computer screens for a while.
- Take care of your body
- Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate
- Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals
- Exercise regularly
- Get plenty of sleep
- Avoid excessive alcohol, tobacco, and substance use
- Continue with routine preventive measures (such as vaccinations, cancer screenings, etc.) as recommended by your healthcare provider
- Get vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine
- Make time to unwind — Try to do some other activities you enjoy
- Connect with others — Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling
- Connect with your community- or faith-based organizations — While social distancing measures are in place, try connecting online, through social media, or by phone or mail
No, none of it is magically perfect, but it’s a start. Good luck. And remember, we’re all dealing with this — even if we can’t get close together to commiserate.
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