Do we love the things that are happening around us and in our world? No. No, we don’t. Can we handle it, can we cope with it? Yes.

Dr. Nicole Johnson spoke about managing stress in the face of the coronavirus disease pandemic on JDRF’s Facebook Live event on Friday, March 27. Watch the recorded livestream with Dr. Johnson and her daughter Ava here. Below are Dr. Johnson’s ten tips to keep stress in check—even in a pandemic. 

1. Connect with your doctor and follow CDC stay-healthy tips.

Doing all you can to protect yourself and your family should ease your worry level.

2. Do all the things that keep you healthy and help manage your T1D.

This includes eating well, exercising, sleeping. End your day on a positive note. If you go to bed feeling anxious, you are more likely to have disrupted sleep which is not wise for anyone, but especially for someone living with a medical condition.

Dr. Johnson recommended turning off the late-night news and instead reading a book or listening to music. “Do something that makes you feel grounded, connected, peaceful.”

3. Find a non-judgmental person who will listen to your concerns.

In isolation, and left unchecked or unexposed, our emotions can get the best of us. Stay connected.

4. Ask for help if you need it.

Asking someone to help you get through things, if you need it, is absolutely the right thing to do. This is a very difficult time for a lot of people. Here is a list of providers trained in diabetes and mental health wellness from the American Diabetes Association.

5. Limit media consumption of COVID-19 updates.

It’s interesting and exciting to have information come our way. But don’t let it overwhelm you and feed into negative outcomes.

6. Seek new or old outlets for relaxation.

Dr. Johnson suggested a quick internet search for apps or sites that offer meditation, yoga, prayer, everyday tips to help you relax and connect. Here are a few online sites: 12 cool websites to relax your mind, Calm.com and the best anxiety aps in 2019 from Healthline.com.

7. Structure you time.

Stuck at home with no place to go, you might find it easy to fall into negative habits. Instead, get up, eat healthy, set time for work and studies, make time for exercise and include fun activities. Make sure you have bright moments in the day that bring you joy.

8. Practice gratitude and joy.

Find and embrace what you are grateful for – books, music, family and friends, technology that enables us to stay connected, our pets and nature. The extra time that we now have – to spend with family – may it also be time that you find something new that sets your soul on fire.

9. Keep communications open with family and friends.

Remember that everyone feels and handles stress differently. And, that while being together can be “a true gift” it also can create tension and conflict.

Watch closely and listen with “non-judgmental ears.” Sometimes children may not express their concerns or share them clearly. “Letting them know that you will do everything possible to keep them safe, healthy and well protected is sometimes what children need to hear most.”

Also, allow family members space to cope with their anxiety, but then come back together to talk about the root cause and establish that you are in this together.

10. Shape your own story.

The story we tell ourselves about what we are experiencing, about what is happening is very powerful. Our brains are wired for stories. So, we encourage you to craft you story from a positive mindset. It is easy to get trapped in “what if” and the absolute negatives and the crisis modes — those are elements that create your story. You can grab hold of these, flip the perspective, and be your own author. Own that story and create it with positive intent because your health and well-being will improve if you do that.

“Although the circumstances are not ideal, and they are stressful, we can let little rays of hope into the situation. And we can flip the perspective from stress and anxiety to
positivity and optimism and joy.” – Dr. Nicole Johnson

Additional Resources

Mental Health Provider Directory	https://professional.diabetes.org/mhp_listing?adser=All&pedser=All&from_miles=25&geo=&postcode_from=
JDRF Psychology YouTube Playlist	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq3eKUxDBWo&list=PLIEwF3-iZkCYpFQ_2XEG2U-5Fy8LxUlAx
How to Cope with Stress	https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/managing-stress-anxiety.html
Definition of Social Distancing, Isolation, and Quarantine, and How to Cope	https://www.apa.org/practice/programs/dmhi/research-information/social-distancing
The Psychological Impact of Quarantine and How to Reduce it, Lancet article	https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30460-8/fulltext
Psychological First Aid	https://www.apa.org/practice/programs/dmhi/psychological-first-aid/resources
Talking with Children about Infectious Disease Outbreak	https://store.samhsa.gov/product/Talking-With-Children-Tips-for-Caregivers-Parents-and-Teachers-During-Infectious-Disease-Outbreaks/PEP20-01-01-006