Tips from a Recovery Coach during COVID-19
Hey There Beautiful Being,
When one of my clients expressed concern that she was coping with the current COVID 19 situation a little too well, I asked her to explain further and here’s what she said:
“Everyone around me seems to be drinking more, feeling anxious or depressed and totally lacking in motivation to help themselves. They seem to just be giving up on themselves and are overly concerned with things that are totally outside their control. I’m worried this is going to sneak up on me and that I’m just good at avoiding reality”
Do you relate to this statement? Or do you relate to the people around my client?
I asked my client to get a piece of paper and make two columns; in the first column she was to write down what she saw the people around her doing or not doing to help themselves and then in the second column to do the same for herself. When we evaluated the columns one thing that became very clear is that she is looking after herself in all three major areas of her life: Body, Mind and Soul; thus leading to the ability to be able to cope with life even when things are tough.
Why is it important to look after yourself holistically (Body, Mind & Soul):
The best analogy I can use for this is to look at it as if you were sitting on a three legged stool. With all three legs you are perfectly balanced, even if the stool rocks a little from time to time you are not going to fall off it. Take one of those legs away and things get pretty off balance, it’s going to take a lot of effort to stay on the stool when it starts rocking. Take away two legs and unless you are a circus acrobat the chances are you are going to fall off the moment it starts rocking.
Connecting all three aspects of your wellbeing is the best way to set a solid foundation for self care. Even if they are not completely balanced all the time, it means that when things get a bit rocky as life always does, you will have the balance you need to maintain perspective, calmness and the ability to self regulate. Most importantly, you won’t feel the need to pick up a drink, drug or harmful behaviour to help yourself feel better.
What are the impacts of this pandemic on your recovery and mental health?
The Institute of Alcohol Studies has reported that over just a three week period in lockdown alcohol sales went up in the UK by £160m and that within the category of ‘risky drinkers’ numbers increased from 25%-38% compared to the same time last year. Relapse rates have increased and people are binge eating and online gambling at higher rates.
It’s no wonder that this is happening. Isolation, anxiety about what the future will hold, stress of losing jobs or earning less money, cut off from support services. These are just a few of the obvious reasons why you might find yourself being triggered to turn towards self destructive behaviours, after all, they can provide a good way to escape this reality albeit on a temporary basis.
It is easy to find yourself in a cycle that’s difficult to see a way out of, whatever way it happens to be manifesting itself. Just remember that these actions are a manifestation of your pain, you are not a bad person and there are many ways you can find help to move out of the cycle of addiction and into one of recovery.
How can I take care of myself holistically (you might ask)?
So, let’s look at the three aspects of wellbeing I mentioned above:
Body
This could be anything from movement/exercise to nutrition. It could also be looking at your sleep pattern and whether you are taking enough rest (remember that being busy is a trauma response and something that often needs to be looked at if it’s working to your detriment)
Mind
This might be working on limiting beliefs, changing the way you react to situations - especially ones which cause stress and anxiety. It could be looking at ways to stimulate your mind whether that be something as simple as doing a crossword or jigsaw puzzle or putting some time aside to read
Soul
How are you taking care of yourself internally, how are you looking after your heart? This could be looking at things such as meditation, cultivating gratitude. Most importantly how are you taking care of yourself when you’re not feeling great and how are you bringing joy into your life and feeding the things that light you up from within
How a Recovery Coach can help you:
After years of drinking, using substances and engaging in self destructive behaviours it can be really tricky to know how to start looking after yourself. It might even be that you find the thought of taking any step towards recovery is just too overwhelming. Or maybe you are a little bit further down the road in your recovery and feel that things have become a bit stagnant or you are struggling with a particular area of your recovery and wellbeing, especially considering the new life circumstances we are having to come to terms with during this pandemic.
Wherever you are in your life right now, I can help you to identify the blocks and challenges you are facing and then encourage you towards finding the things that might work for you to create change and solution. I can even try them with you!
We can put together a daily routine or weekly structure that works specifically for you, we can set goals and create wellbeing and recovery plans. Most importantly though, I can provide you with a space that is just for you… to come exactly as you are and bring whatever you need to in a space full of love, compassion and non-judgement.
My lovely, know that you are not alone. If you are reading this you are already a warrior - fighting from a place of love. I am here for you and my hope is that if you don’t find what you need here you find it elsewhere and eventually within.
With love
Mel
xx