Was the Year of COVID-19 a Trauma?
Was the Year of COVID-19 a Trauma?
As masks lower and we begin to smile, grin, and smirk at community members in the grocery store again, we are going to need some time to digest and process the year of the pandemic. Two questions, in particular, may arise: Did we just experience a trauma or traumatic event? And what does that mean for our ongoing emotional/mental health and wellness?
Let us hear what the experts define a trauma as. The American Psychiatric Association classifies mental adjustments, disorders, and symptomologies in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5).” In this manual a trauma is defined as: a deeply distressing or disturbing event that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope, causes feelings of helplessness, diminishes one’s sense of self and one’s ability to feel a full range of emotions and experiences. Therefore, for many of us, the answer to the question: Was the year of Covid-19 a trauma … is a well defined yes.
The year of Covid-19 has triggered a plethora of emotional, physical, and economic issues that may result in adjustment disorders, trauma induced disorders, as well as post traumatic stress disorders for many Americans. An adjustment disorder is an emotional or behavioral reaction to a stressful and traumatic event in a person’s life that persists for 6 months or less. Adjustment disorders can encompass: depressed moods, anxiety, mixed anxiety and depressed moods, disturbances of conduct, and mixed disturbances of emotions and conduct.
According to Psychiatric Times, “Different groups of people have reported and met the qualifying criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) according to the DSM-5, as a result of the pandemic: those who have themselves suffered from serious Covid-19 illness and potential death; individuals who, as family members and health care workers, have witnessed others’ suffering and death; individuals who have learned about the death or risk of death of a family member or friend due to the virus; and individuals who have experienced extreme exposure to averse details (journalists, first responders, medical examiners, and hospital personnel), etc. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder incorporates the following symptoms: distressing memories and dreams, flashbacks, psychological distress if an environmental cue reminds one of the initial trauma, avoidance, an inability to remember important aspects of the traumatic event, negative beliefs, distorted cognitions, negative emotional states, disinterests in activities, feelings of detachment from others, inabilities to experience positive emotions, irritability, self-destructive behaviors, hypervigilance, startled responses, difficulties with concentration, and sleep disturbances. Lastly, Acute Stress Disorder and Unspecified Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders are also among very common human responses to the stressors/horrors/fears of this past year.
With all this information detailed above, and if you find yourself experiencing prolonged traumatic symptoms, what can you do? The most important intervention is to speak about or journal about your experience. Silence and secrecy often perpetuates the problem and its symptoms. Next, subtle lifestyle changes can help improve current levels of functioning (focus on one’s breath, practice mindfulness meditations, practice yoga, get a massage, eat a well balanced nutritiously rich diet, find ways to find peace/relaxation/stillness within the mind daily). Next, experiment and try various strategies to enhance your sleep cycle (incorporate music into your bedtime routine, have a shower then read something light and funny before bed, and power off screen time 45 minutes before bedtime). Also, there is never any shame in reaching out to a professional therapist for help to remedy current symptoms. A simple google search of mental health therapists in Cattaraugus County will give you a list of providers near you. Lastly, if you or your loved one is struggling with thoughts of not being here any more or thoughts of suicide, please do not hesitate to call Cattaraugus County’s 24-hour crisis hotline number at 1-800-339-5209.
I leave you with this quote by Karen Salmansohn: “Give yourself time to heal from a challenge you’ve been dealt. Letting go of hurt doesn’t happen overnight. It happens in slow, small steps forward. Be gentle and patient with yourself.”
Laura Widger is a NY State Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 15 years of experience in the field of emotional wellness and mental health. She currently works for CCA-Connecting Communities in Action and specializes in trauma healing with children and adults. She lives in Cattaraugus County with her husband, children, and German short haired dog. Laura personally and professionally strives to promote internal self leadership and the discovery of true genuineness and balance within.