Today many of us may wake up feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, worried, or isolated. At least that is how I have felt some days during this difficult time. It feels like a dream; how can one feel so disconnected and overwhelmed by work, school, or family at the same time? There are even memes that are shared reminding us what day it is, or how many days we have been under the Stay at Home Order. Some of us may struggle to find meaning and purpose throughout this pandemic. The stark reality is that the flood of emotions we are experiencing can be categorized under trauma. Some of us will be able to cope with the trauma easier than others. It is okay if you need more support, consider this list of resources for each Ohio county.
Check out the video created by a few Ohio State University Extension FCS Educators inspired by YOU!
Thankfully, Governor DeWine has made not only physical, but mental health a priority during this time. Many agencies are offering telehealth services where you don’t even have to leave your home for your counseling visits. Please visit the website Coronavirus Ohio Individual and Family. Many support groups are now meeting virtually, as are churches, and small groups. We must all stay connected during this time. Studies have shown that healing from traumatic events occurs in relationships whether it is with peers, family, neighbors, mentors, co-workers. We can all come together to be resilient during this time.
Just because we must maintain physical distance, doesn’t mean we have to be socially distant. If you’re struggling to put this into action, here are a few easy ideas to engage in community and relationships:
- Reach for the phone and call a friend, write a letter, video chat, or have a virtual game night.
- Celebrate milestones like birthdays and weddings by putting signs in the yard, having a car parade, or asking everyone to share favorite memories and photos of the person on the internet.
- Take lots of pictures and make unique keepsakes for grandparents and great-grandparents who are missing their precious little ones.
- Write letters to nursing home residents. If you have stamps and envelopes at home, you don’t even have to leave your house!
Every day we thank the nurses, doctors, and nursing home staff that are caring for our loved ones and rightfully so. There are so many others risking themselves daily such as:
- Truck drivers
- Factory workers
- Retail workers
- School staff delivering meals to families and food pantry workers
- Parents and caregivers helping the children with schoolwork
- Individuals delivering meals to senior citizens
- And countless others who are working hard throughout this pandemic
Throughout this journey we are on, we have been told numerous times that we won’t just wake up one day and it will all be over. The same is true for the trauma and the effects it can have on some of us. Yes, for some it is impacting more than others, but we need to all come together to foster resiliency and recovery. Be physically distant but not socially distant. We are all in this together!
Written By: Bridget Britton, OSU Extension Educator Carroll County
Reviewed By: Dan Remley, Field Specialist, Food, Nutrition, and Wellness, OSU Extension
References:
https://fcs.osu.edu/programs/healthy-relationships-0/trauma-informed-care
https://u.osu.edu/cphp/ohio-mental-health-resource-guides/
https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/index.htm
Live Healthy Live Well 
Thank you for sharing, this post is very helpful!