Five million Americans tested positive, with more than 160k lost their lives. If that was not enough, the unemployment rate reached around 10%. Unfortunately, it seemed like it was all “bad news.” If you go by the reports shared by the New York Times, they suggested that even though the infection is likely to slow down after the vaccination, it won’t be eradicated. Instead, it will be a manageable threat that you will learn to live with.
Having said that, undoubtedly, everyone was still experiencing stressful situations that did not even exist before on a large scale. And the increasing economic pressure made it even more difficult for millions of people to stay motivated.
Understandably, with so much uncertainty around, everyone faces heat in terms of deteriorating mental health. When life is not precisely as we supposed it to be, it is time to turn your minds towards acceptance.
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Dialectical Behavior Therapy- Incorporate Distress Tolerance Skills to Navigate Covid-19 Challenges
DBT is a type of cognitive behavior therapy found to be effective with borderline personality disorders. But, research suggests its effectiveness in treating ADHD, bipolar disorders, eating disorders, Generalized anxiety disorders, major depressive disorders, and related disorders.
However, in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, one can use DBT skills to deal with losing the loved one, a loss of job, serious illness, or any other traumatic experiences. Many therapists, including CBT therapists NYC, suggest using the following strategies to navigate the challenges presented by this unprecedented situation.
Mindfulness: It is a skill that allows you to live in your present moment. Even a simple breathing exercise or a meditation will enable you to be aware of the emotional situations and move through them effectively.
Distress Tolerance: It is the ability to accept emotional as well as physical distress. And that too without feeling overwhelmed by it. The idea is to avoid any type of negative behavior and being in control of your emotions.
Relationships Management: In DBT, experts usually call this skill—interpersonal effectiveness. It allows individuals to communicate effectively and decipher strategies to manage relationships effectively and ensure positive outcomes.
Emotions Management: As the name suggests, it helps you regulate your emotions effectively. This skill allows you to identify, name, and change feelings depending on your situation, along with deepening or diversifying them for better results.
Besides this, being a part of individual therapy sessions or group sessions will offer you an outlet for compassion, self-development, or strategies to cope with life stressors.
Wrapping up
At this point, each one of us faced some emotion related to COVID-19. Most of us are likely to face feelings like fear, disappointment, frustration, and even boredom. This leads us to find ways that can help us to cope with something difficult, especially when we are more emotionally vulnerable than usual.
Clearly, experts suggest that DBT is one of the most effective ways to tackle emotional vulnerability. So, take the help of professionals and let them guide you to take charge of your life constructively.
