The Roses

It has been an extremely difficult summer due to the coronavirus crisis. We are all stressed more than usual with wearing masks, washing our hands, social distancing, and worrying about getting the virus ourselves, or finding someone we love has it. So far, my family and I have been spared, but I am seeing the effects long-term stress has on me, and I find I’m having to work harder than ever to stay healthy.

In retrospect, it seems like the past few years have been harder than ever. Maybe that’s a part of getting older, I’m not sure, but I know that living with a disability makes life in these uncertain days ever harder to manage. I have to really focus on employing those coping mechanisms I’ve developed over the years to manage my PTSD. This is truly the time when we need to stop and smell the roses. We need to take excellent care of ourselves! It’s the time when I need to remember to use my visualization, breathing exercises, calming music, and anything else I can find to maintain my sanity!

COVID-19 has made life just that much more stressful than it used to be. For those of us coping with PTSD, it was stressful enough before coronavirus ever showed up. Please, take care of yourself. Eat right, get enough sleep, exercise every day, and use those coping mechanisms you know work for you to stay mentally healthy. Stay safe; we will overcome this eventually.