Hey, just your friendly neighborhood trauma counselor here. Covid-19 is a worldwide, ongoing trauma. It is ok to not be ok, and this is why.

Two elements make a trauma traumatic: 1) not being able to escape, and 2) not being able to make sense of the event. No one appears to be able to escape COVID-19, as much as we are trying. And our bodies/brains aren’t able to make sense of a scary event until after it is over.

For these reasons, we just have to do the best we can, taking it one day at a time. Here in Italy, the panic has subsided and I have more brain space now, even under total lockdown, to try to make sense of some of my feelings.

But there is no way anybody can process all of the devastation until the danger is over. So.

Give yourself a break. Slow down. Don’t try to do everything you were doing before.

Take it a day at a time. It is ok to not be ok. #COVID19

P.S. The reasons behind the two elements of trauma are cortisol and adrenaline and are fascinating on their own. Cite: Bessel van der Kolk