How COVID-19 may be affecting your confidence.
During this challenging time of uncertainty and isolation, for many daily life is different. Perhaps before Coronavirus, life was difficult and now it has become even more so. Or perhaps you were in a good place and now the rhythm, routine and pace of life has changed. Maybe you were getting back to a good place, and now you find yourself lacking in the confidence you were gaining.
Whatever your situation and head space right now, it could be that you are looking for reassurance and a way of managing anxiety that comes with long periods of uncertainty. Demand for therapy and counselling has increased at The Therapy Room, Northampton, which points to this need for ways to overcome Covid-19 related anxiety.
Indeed, for some the shift in patterns has brought a lot of time back into daily life. This can be a good thing, and it can also be challenging. Spending so much time with yourself and the people you are isolating with may encourage anxieties about the choices you have made in your working or personal life, which might feel confusing and disheartening. Therapy can help you make sense of this.
Likewise, in Northampton therapy is in demand for health anxiety and related mental health issues, like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Social Anxiety, Phobias, and depression. For other people seeking counselling in Northampton, it has been about how to manage anxiety about jobs at risk, job loss, financial strain, marital strain, parenting pressures and the loss of a loved one and the grief that follows.
Three main areas that the virus has been affecting how people are coping with life includes work, money and family.
1. Work
It may be that you are now having to manage working from home, taking on extra work to support your income or you may have even lost your job. All of these scenarios can make you feel as if you are lacking control, choice or even prompt you to start doubting your abilities. It can be demanding to stay motivated at home to finish work tasks, especially if you are managing distractions such as home schooling, or your children being with you 24-7. It can also be difficult to seek out job opportunities when you feel as if your opportunities are limited. When you are dwelling in this negative mindset, it will be challenging to complete or seek out work. It is important that you notice when you feel this may be affecting you. Speaking to a Northampton therapist or looking for counselling Northampton will help you to make sense of this, understand why it is that you feel this way and how you can overcome it. Then, you take actions to feel better and in control of your life. One way might be to understand how to best communicate with your family or friends so they can better understand how to support you during this time. For example, this may be being clear about your working times so you can have space to do this or it may be simply asking for emotional reassurance.
2. Money
Having financial anxiety is not uncommon at this time. Many people are feeling worried about the prospect of employment and when work and money will feel secure again. Or it may be that you had not saved enough money to prepare you for a reduced income, which is causing you to feel stressed. Whatever it is about money that is making you anxious, it is vital that you prioritise your wellbeing, so discussing this in counselling at The Therapy Room Northampton will allow you to relieve some of your short-term worries and also help you figure out how you can improve this in the future. Remember, that this is a shared experience, and many will understand how you feel. Don’t be afraid to admit your financial anxieties and get the help you need to manage it.
3. Family
Whether you have a small or large household, isolating with or without your family, on your own or with others, it can feel overwhelming to be think about your family right now. Having to manage a family unit which may not be very connected or communicative, when you are all in lock down together, can be extremely challenging. On the other hand, you may be living alone and trying to navigate feelings of isolation and missing the close contact of loved ones. The current situation you find yourself in may make you feel insecure in your negative relationships and you are struggling with the separation from your positive relationships. It may be that you are already in therapy for some family-related issues or are seeking some due to the heightened tensions at this time. Being able to discuss your concerns in a calm and safe environment with a Northampton counsellor will allow you to find ways of dealing with difficult relationships and still be able to receive the benefits from your positive relationships. One way of starting this process is to stay connected with the people and things that bring you joy.
