COVID is here to stay - learn to live with it!

Psycho-support especially for religious and those in ministry

The COVID–19 pandemic has changed many norms of the world. It has drastically altered the interaction and movement of people in their everyday life. This new phenomenon of change demands redesigning our thinking and lifestyle. This new scenario must have put some people under stress. Stress can cause frustration, and this might drive a person into a state of despair or anxiety. A team of qualified and professional psychologists of India, offer support in life ministry and the following practical recommendations on their website: www.catholicpsycholgists.org

Areas of mental health are divided into five components:

Body, Mind, Soul, Community life and Relationships.

Body

The Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus once said, “A sound mind maintains sound body”.

There is a close link between physical fitness, mental equilibrium and the ability to enjoy life.

Here are some guidelines to achieve healthy physical wellbeing:

- Adequate sleep is important for health. Make sure that you sleep around 6 to 7 hours daily. Lack of sleep can result in poor health, irritability, and even emotional outbursts. Avoid the habit of checking

the time if you wake up in the middle of sleep. This can affect the quality of your sleep.

- Eat healthy food and remind yourself to drink plenty of water.

- Exercise can produce “happy” hormones, make sure that you set aside time to do physical exercises. Your workout can be in the form of dancing, Zumba, aerobics, yoga, walking, playing games, gardening, or any physical activity of your preference.

- If you are under medication, please follow your doctors’ prescriptions diligently.

- Order and rhythm in your daily life are recommended as they will give the sense that you are in charge of your life.

- Find time to relax. An ‘off-day’ per week is advised to rejuvenate yourself.

- Breathing exercises can go a long way to instil stillness and equanimity.

- Do what is necessary for you to maintain personal hygiene.

Mind

The quality of your thoughts determines the quality of your behaviour. So monitor your thoughts and cherish always positive thinking. When you notice negative thoughts, reframe them.

Give permission for unpleasant emotions to come and go.

It is normal and perfectly OK to feel anxious and frustrated from time to time.

- Engage in life-enriching habits such as reading books, working for the community, finding time to pursue personal hobbies, connecting with friends and family, enjoying nature, music and art.

- Avoid unhelpful ways of coping with stress. Examples of these are blaming oneself or others, staying aloof, ruminating on negative thoughts, withdrawing from all activity and indulging in alcohol and drugs.

- Maintain a healthy Work-Life balance. Overworking is always exasperating. Have a balanced life of work, prayer, meditation and relaxation.

- Align your day-to-day activities with your life purpose and that will give you meaning in everything that you do. A depressive mood can be managed by taking responsibility to do what is necessary. For example, wake up on time even if your depressive mood tells you not to do.

- Always try to focus on things, which are under your control. We can control some aspects of our lives, but many things are beyond our control (particularly during the current COVID–19 pandemic).

- Do activities that you find energizing and uplifting. Schedule at least one such activity per day.

Soul

Spending time in personal prayer is extremely helpful, if not essential. We recommend between one to two hours of interior prayer.

- Join with the community prayer services.

- Find time to be by yourself to relax, read, reflect and contemplate.

- Read Scripture and other spiritual books.

- Meditation helps you to stay calm and focused.

Community Life

Remember that every person in a community is different and there can be a number of ways of perceiving and thinking about the same thing. Community members do not all behave or think as YOU think or behave. In a community, people need to be given the liberty to be themselves.

- View different opinions in a community as a sign of life and diversity rather than a threat.

- You may have a couple of differences with others but there could be many things that you agree on.

- Appreciate each other, even for the little things.

- When you are in conflict with authority, seek an amicable way to settle issues. If you are tasked with authority, exercise your responsibilities and duties with humility.

- Respect and give others space when needed.

Relationships

Having healthy interpersonal relationships is the way to fulfil the need for intimacy. Have some close friends and spiritual directors within the diocese or congregation and beyond, in compliance with your Constitutions/Statutes.

- Avoid sharing matters that should be kept within the community to outsiders.

- Choose friends, who will help you to grow in your religious life.

- Set boundaries and be assertive when necessary.

- Set aside time to keep in touch with your own family members.

If you want to talk with someone or need Counselling or Spiritual accompaniment, feel free to contact us. Client information will be maintained with professional confidentiality.

The Conference of Catholic Psychologists of India (CCPI)-Website: www.catholicpsycholgists.org

The mission of CCPI is to bring the healing love of Jesus Christ to those seeking psychological help and support. We are happy to provide psychological information and a list of counsellors who have life membership in Conference of Catholic Psychologists, India (CCPI) across Indian States and who are faithful to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. To deal with the increasing stress that we face in our lives, particularly during the COVID – 19 pandemic, we are pleased to publish “Mental Health Guidelines for Priests and Religious”. These are general guidelines, which you may adapt according to your own life situation and culture. At the end of these guidelines, contact details and phone numbers of Catholic psychologists from different regions of India are given to help you to access trained professionals offering Personal counselling and Spiritual accompaniment.

• Slightly edited by SAFCAM