Tips to Help You Cope Emotionally
• Maximise your social support: During challenging times, social support is more important than ever. You don’t have to go through this experience alone; reach out to your friends and family for emotional support, and consider joining a local support group if available.
• Limit your exposure to the news: Continuous exposure to bad news can worsen anxiety and stress. Although staying informed is important, minimise your exposure by setting time limits for news consumption each day to prevent overwhelming feelings. Focus on what is being done to improve the situation; for example, explore nonprofit organisations such as the Red Cross and High Atlas Foundation that are actively helping people on the ground. This can help your mind focus on hope rather than an influx of distressing information.
• Focus on your routine and practise self-care: Let’s be honest, when you’re going through an extremely challenging time, the last thing on your mind is taking a long bath or practising yoga. But taking care of yourself can be exactly what you need to get you through the other end. Instead of trying to squeeze everything in, start with the basics. Even if your day-to-day life has changed, maintaining a daily routine will help you feel a sense of normalcy. Maintain a daily routine with activities you enjoy, set meal times, exercise, and sleep as regularly as possible. You can also take 5 minutes each morning to concentrate on your breathing and refocus before starting the day. Try one of our guided meditations to become fully grounded in the present moment.
• Seek professional guidance: Often, we bottle up our difficult feelings and hope they disappear with time. Understand that it’s natural to experience a range of emotions, including survivor’s guilt or sadness over the loss of others. Seek support from a psychologist to help manage these emotions, and remember that the process is not linear, so be patient with yourself.
