Hey Crime Reporter or anyone else struggling right now
1. LET IT OUT! Go have a hard cry, or if it's anger, go somewhere you can scream your lungs out
2. After you let it out, stop and spend 10 to 15 minutes breathing as deep and slowly as possible
3. With a clear mind, close your eyes and picture the happiest times, places in your life
4. Take inventory of all the blessings / good things you still have going on in your life
5. Realize and understand that this is temporary, and down the road, this will all seem like a bad dream. We will return to a sense of normalcy. Each one of you is loved and needed by someone! Never forget that
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Thanks for this!
Ten Percent Happier
-The Ten Percent Happier website has some free resources, and they also have an app: https://www.tenpercent.com/coronavirussanityguide
-They have 20-30 minute group discussions and guided meditations everyday through the app or on their website https://www.tenpercent.com/live
https://www.virusanxiety.com/ Has some free meditations and "take a break" activities
Tara Brach, a meditation expert, has a few free meditations on her website: https://www.tarabrach.com/pandemic/
Also - don't be afraid to seek mental health help. Talk to someone if you need to. My insurance has waived copays for telehealth therapy sessions at the practice I go to for therapy. I would bet that's pretty common around the country right now.
I don't feel qualified to give out this advice because I'm not a medical professional but - if you're afraid you might harm yourself or others, call 911 or go to the hospital (I don't know if that's the guidance in the current situation but that's generally what they tell you to do). Take care of yourself.
These days, with 24 hour coverage of politicians - isn't "Crime Reporter" basically redundant?
As is the description of a "Corrupt Politician" for that matter...
If things get super bad, before making any final decisions call this number 1-800-273-8255.
It's corny and all, but you all are loved more than you know.
It's also ok to be scared/angry/frustrated/tired/sad...
Nearly everyone is going through some sort of wholesale change in their life right now, whether you're an essential worker who has had your workload double, to someone who is working from home and wondering if their job will be there in a week, to those caring for family members, to those just having their financial or mental piece of mind disrupted.
It's a trying situation for everyone and it's ok to feel different or off. No shame.
Use the resources others have listed and don't be afraid to ask for help or just admit that things aren't right.
Thanks brother.
i have an idea. take the damn day off! take a few days off! they can have someone else work dispatch. what county are you in? i can work a phone and know the lingo well enough to dispatch, and i bet there's a few others around here that can, too.
family >>>> work, and from your earlier post you need to take care of yourself and your dear family.
I'm in Pennsylvania. I'll be off soon.
When you do get some time off, unplug. Do a family movie night. Make ice cream sundaes. Do something that's just an activity, no phones, no nothing. Moments of normalcy have been worth investing in.
I hope it helped you if even just a little!
There are so many things I should be grateful for. In the last year, I’ve lost 60 pounds, gotten two promotions that have doubled my salary, moved to an amazing little duplex just blocks from the ocean, improved my relationship with my wife to be closer than ever.
But I just feel so disconnected from reality and find myself lost in my dark thoughts. I finally snapped on Monday and had a “mental breakdown.” The anxiety from the moment I was waking up and panic attacks triggered by the smallest tasks were making it impossible for me to function. I’ve suffered from depression off and (mostly) on for the last 15 years, and the anxiety adds a whole new layer of shitiness.
Yesterday I asked work for a couple weeks off. It makes me feel like a spoiled brat because my little company is struggling so hard to stay alive right now, and my CEO and VP of Operations are already being pulled so thin. But they are the nicest bosses anyone could hope for, and were incredibly understanding and supportive.
I’m taking this time off to learn and practice some long-overdue mindfulness techniques. Started meditating, doing yoga, getting in my 10k steps, reading, and want to start writing again. Today was the first day I woke up without any anxiety in a long time. Need to build on this momentum to sustain myself when I jump back into the real world.
You did the right thing. It's very hard for even the most resourceful among us to help others when they're in the Pit of Despair. It's like when they tell you about the oxygen masks on airplanes - put the mask on yourself first, then you can help someone else.
Live. Grow stronger. Fight another day.
I am going through a Fire Fighter academy right now. My stress and anxiety is through the roof. Really strange going through this with a pandemic going on.
Remember Placebo Effect makes house calls!
And stress sucks balls.
Stay positive and stay safe.