Managing Emotions During COVID-19
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Health Tip of the Week There's no simple set of directions or guidelines to help any of us know how to feel during a pandemic. There are no “right” or “wrong” ways to feel. Every feeling is normal and valid. Both children and adults are experiencing a wide range of emotions as we struggle to deal with the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on our lives.
Below are a few possible emotions your child – and you – may experience during these challenging times:
ALL these feelings are normal and OK for you and your child to feel. In fact, it's expected many of us will experience all these emotions, with some days or times feeling more difficult than others. Further, some children may find that increased stress during this time has worsened their anxiety or symptoms of any preexisting conditions, while other children may feel better without normal stressors.
It's also normal for adults and children to feel more overwhelmed, worried or frustrated when they focus on things they cannot control. One way to cope with the many feelings you and your child may have during the COVID-19 pandemic is to make a list of things you can control and those you can't. The next time you feel upset, try to focus on one of the things you do have control over, and practice accepting the things you can't control.
There many things you and your child can control, including:
Contributed by: Kari F. Baber, PhD, Christina E. Holbein, PhD, Sarah Mayer-Brown, PhD, Kelly A. O'Neil Rodriguez, PhD, Margo M. Szabo, PhD, Elizabeth Turner, PhD, MS, and Caroline Wilkes, PsyD, MA, are all members of the psychology team supporting patients at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
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