Anxiety, depression and stress are the main psychological symptoms being experienced by the current Covid-19 problem, it’s a silent unpredictable side effect and it is thriving during this unprecedented time of lock-down.
Children are especially being affected with social anxiety, in many cases after seeing adults struggling.
This may also cause them to be disruptive, acting out of character in school and at home.
Anxiety has been on the increase anyway in recent years and GP’s had already been facing an uphill battle against it, dishing out anti-depressants and recommending talking therapies but not necessarily being able to provide the therapies or fund them.
If talking therapies are accessible, there are lengthy waiting periods through the NHS of several months and when you are suffering with stress, anxiety or depressive symptoms you need help sooner, rather than later. A recent 2021 government survey estimates that 30% of people in the UK are suffering with moderate to severe symptoms of depression. Also, that 25% of people are reporting episodes of anxiety.
I have been helping people with all sorts of issues for over 25 years, I gently help them to understand why they feel the way they do and I guide them to a healthier way of Being. This can include working on the persons energy field to bring relief from their symptoms and teaching them how to help themselves so as to cope in healthier ways. This does not have to be an in person appointment I can work absently over distance too. See Remote Healing
There are reasons for this increase in anxiety which many sufferers are unaware of and that it is often due to the change in vibration and frequency of planet Earth after the consciousness shift at the end of 2012. See Schumann Resonance
You will not receive that information from your GP or the guidance on how to help your body and mind to adapt to the new higher frequencies. How to ground yourself and raise your vibration to bring yourself into alignment with our ever-evolving planet Earth, so as to understand and alleviate these symptoms.
For each person that is coping at the moment there will be almost an equal number of people struggling to face the day. They may be trapped in an unhappy relationship, be a doctor or nurse having been traumatised by what they have witnessed on the wards in their work, someone traumatised by the loss or illness of a loved one, who perhaps they could not be with at that difficult time.
Inevitably, there will be a wave of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after this crisis has passed but there is help that can be provided now while the crisis is going on so as to limit the negative long-term effects on one’s mental health.
I provide face to face therapy sessions at my therapy centre and I also work remotely providing energy therapies over distance that can help a person overcome the stress, worry and fear of what is currently happening in their life by understanding their own minds, bodies and energy systems.
Also, by receiving my help energetically, to bring in the necessary changes within themselves to help them cope better, their symptoms can be eased. I usually see people daily at my therapy centre but I am also working from home while lockdowns are in place.
Many people are suffering much older fears that are primal in nature, they are in our DNA and are being stirred up by this unprecedented event. Fear of death, plague, famine, ill health, loneliness, poverty, mental health issues, loss of one’s livelihood or of one’s home, separation from loved one’s, restrictions of freedom of one’s movements and so on….
These recent events happened suddenly with a sharp shock and while technology can adapt quite quickly to these changes, we humans are not built for it, most people do not like sudden change or loss of routine in their life. For the first time in many peoples lives they have started worrying and being fearful of what is going to happen to themselves and their loved ones now and also in the future when the restrictions have been lifted.
So, fear from the past is being brought into the present moment and also being projected into a possible fearful future. It seems obvious to many that life is going to be very different and that scares people.
It takes 21 days to develop a new habit and we will all have formed new habits while in lockdown. We have been reflecting on our lives, past, present and future, our relationships, our priorities and so on….
We can see the wider ramifications in industries such as retail, leisure, beauty and manufacturing, our working environments have changed probably for ever and some people will not be able to recover financially for a long time. Also, there does not seem to be any help or preparation provided to help deal mentally and emotionally with this new world that is unfolding before our eyes.
People are already being shut off from support networks, older people on their own feel particularly isolated, fearful and lonely. They are not as up to speed technology wise perhaps, so will not be able to benefit from the many mindfulness apps or the on-line support available, for example.
Some people will come out of this experience stronger than before; their psychological resilience would have increased. They will say to themselves “what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger” or “there is always someone worse off than myself” and that kind of attitude, will help them through for now.
However, many of these people will just be getting on with it, staying strong, having a stiff upper lip and so forth but because they are not expressing their doubts, fears or their pain this will inevitably lead to them having a cesspit of unresolved negativity, suppressed over time collecting and building up within them.
This will continue to go on until the threat has passed, only for it to rise up at a later date causing the PTSD and other mental health issues in the future, that will be inevitable for many going through this experience.
Vaccinate or don’t vaccinate, mask or no mask,
The great argument now between people at the moment certainly in the UK is between those advocating having the vaccine or those choosing not to have it, of wearing a mask in the belief that it will help to stop the spread of the virus or those who do not believe that it has any effect. That the vaccine and masks are being used as a means of control and division rather than protection and at the same time creating huge financial gain for some.
That barriers are deliberately being created between people caused by statements being made such as that a person is selfish for not having the vaccine or people wearing their mask are doing so not for their own benefit but for others. Then the person wearing the mask gets angry when others do not behave similarly and arguments arise.
Those who do not wish to wear a mask see it as an infringement on their freedom of choice, they point out that the mask will not stop you catching the virus and other health problems can be brought about by continuous use of a mask and so on….
Whichever side of the fence you are on, please respect and be tolerant of the beliefs of both sides while also being aware of your local guidelines regarding these issues. If you have been vaccinated and are interacting with a person that has not been vaccinated or visa versa or you are wearing a mask and are in the presence of someone who is claiming they are exempt from wearing a mask or visa versa, please accept these differences of opinion and remember that it is not your place to question them or judge them for their reasons why.
Many people for example have hidden medical or psychological reasons for their decisions and their condition which is personal and private to them should be treated with respect. Not everything is black and white or straight forward, life can be complicated.
Do what you feel comfortable with for your own safety and peace of mind and try not to make judgements about others who have different perspectives or needs to your own.
Conspiracy Theories
There are many conspiracy theories going around now about how this virus started and there is no need to enter into the debate about who to blame or the possible cause of this pandemic here in this information. What is worth pointing out though, is that whatever or whoever started this problem, we can see that the pandemic is having a dramatic effect on millions of people around the world.
Humanities consciousness is being purged of fear based negative thoughts, through this experience, feelings and energies on an unprecedented scale, producing over time a massive positive shift in the collective consciousness to the opposite of fear, which is love.
When we allow ourselves to face our fears, process them and then release them, so we shift to the higher consciousness of love on a personal level. When millions of people do that on mass, then you will eventually see amazing positive improvements taking place on our beautiful planet as humanity raises its collective vibration more into an alignment with Mother Earths new higher 5th dimensional frequencies.
It is far better to talk about what is bothering you now and receive help to clear, overcome and adapt to the changes. Rather than to shelve whatever mental and emotional impact these times are having on you for another day or wait until it consumes you or overwhelms you. Adapting in incremental stages to the changes taking place, is the best way to avoid a tsunami of emotional baggage in the years to come.
If I can help you through this difficult period in your life please contact me and I will do my best to help you feel better so that instead of having a negative impact and outcome for you, Covid-19 becomes a catalyst for positive transformation in your life.
- The main mental health symptoms caused by Covid-19 are anxiety and depression which are different conditions but are not mutually exclusive and often concur with each other.
- Stressful life events such as this pandemic and any ongoing physiological stress have been shown to increase inflammation and hence disrupt gastro-intestinal function (via disruption to microbiome and increased permeability of gastro-intestinal tract). These dysfunctions are associated with anxiety disorders and depression
- The way in which stress is perceived has a greater effect on inflammation than the stress itself (if stress is viewed as negative this increases inflammation), therefore interventions to alter stress perception including meditation and mindfulness should be considered
- Nutritional interventions include supporting anti-inflammatory pathways, a healthy microbiome and integrity of the gastro-intestinal tract.
- Meditation/mindfulness – this is one of the best ways to reduce tension and anxiety and support a healthy mind. However when we are busy it is one of the things that tends to get pushed to the back of the queue and people forget to do it or are just not interested.
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction has positive effects on depression, anxiety and psychological distress. Mindfulness doesn’t have to take much time, you can just do simple breathing exercises, there are many different ways to do this but a simple one is 4-4-8. This is where you breathe in for the count of four, hold for four and breathe out for eight, doing this for a minute each day has been shown to reduce the symptoms of anxiety.
- You can also use an app for directed meditation or mindfulness if you want to explore this further. There are many apps available, some popular ones are Calm and Headspace.
- Exercise – exercise is important for both mental and emotional wellbeing as it can increase feel good endorphins as well as improving resistance to stress.
- Be Grateful– gratitude journals have been shown to help improve measures of stress and depression. One study showed that people asked to journal five things they were grateful for that had occurred in the past week were 25% happier than those who didn’t or journaled negative emotions.
- Acts of kindness – one thing which has been strongly shown to improve our mood and wellbeing are acts of kindness. Practicing kindness also has a profound effect our own mental & physiological health, helping us to become happier and compassionate towards others.
- Being kind to others has been known to help boost our own immune system, slow down ageing, elevate our self-esteem and improve blood pressure. In many cases further help is advised such as through energy therapies, counselling, psychotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy.
- Nutritional interventions.
Nutritional interventions to be considered should include method to reduce inflammation, support the microbiome and support gastrointestinal integrity. Therefore, the health of the gut always should be considered for anyone who is experiencing depression: Consider supporting a healthy bowel flora by:- Take a live bacteria supplement – administration of probiotics and prebiotics has been shown to diminish the stress response during difficult tasks, improve the integrity of the intestinal barrier, and decrease inflammation.
- There is considerable evidence suggesting that these improvements among other effects may contribute to decreased anxiety‐ and depression‐like behaviours.
- Consuming fermented foods such as kefir, kombucha and sauerkraut.
- Consuming prebiotic (fuel for gut bacteria) foods and polyphenols from chicory, olives, baked apples and Jerusalem artichoke
Research has shown that nutrients important for repair and integrity of the digestive lining include:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin D3
- L-Glutamine
- Zinc
Additionally, reducing inflammation should be considered:
Reduce inflammation by:- Optimising gut health
- Reducing omega 6 fatty acids from meat, dairy and vegetable oils
- Increasing omega 3 fatty acids from oily fish, chia and flax seeds and dark leafy green vegetables
- Using anti-inflammatory foods such as turmeric (curcumin) and ginger
- Increasing vitamin E containing foods such as avocado
- Increasing Vitamin C-rich foods
General interventions.
If you want to improve mood it is always important to consider:- Foods which contain tryptophan e.g. walnuts, turkey, oats, bananas
- B6 and magnesium which convert 5HTP to serotonin
- Gut health, suspect leaky gut and / or dysbiosis and consider a probiotic
- Inflammation consider an anti-inflammatory diet as well as anti-inflammatory nutrients such as Omega 3 fats (as EPA), curcumin and ginger
- Support anti-oxidant status and reduce oxidative stress
- Is there a need for additional vitamin D3, zinc and methylation support (eg methylfolate and methylcobalamin)
- Cytoplan for quality supplements at reduced prices through this website: Please click on this link to purchase Cytoplan products.
5 Steps to Well-being
Connect with other people
Be physically active
Learn new skills
Give to others
Pay attention to the present moment
Stress Busters
Avoid unhealthy habits, stop drinking, using recreational drugs or smoking
Be active in body and in mind
Take control
Connect with other people
Have “Me” time
Challenge yourself, set goals
Help other people, volunteer for example
Work smarter not harder, prioritise your work
Try to be positive, be grateful, appreciate what you have
Be in the “Now” moment
