Health and social care workers (HSWCs) have carried a huge load of the mental health burden that has sky rocketed since COVID-19 began in 2020. All of us were basically unprepared for this pandemic and would not have been able to predict its ongoing stress that has occurred due to its longevity and how it has affected people to their core. Psychological wellbeing has been disrupted for people in general. For those who were already struggling with some form of mental illness-it made it much worse.
The Front-line hospital staff have been greatly affected putting themselves in an even higher risk for adverse mental health outcomes, like stress, anxiety and depression. Even though front-line workers have had operational support, available knowledge, that factored with a mindset of resiliency has helped them to combat some adverse mental health outcomes. However, front-line workers have had concern about protecting their family (from their risks they are involved in at work), fear of infection, death of patients and loved ones, lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and coming in contact with COVID-19. Regardless of the resiliency mindset factor, it is difficult to erase the feelings of fear and being unsupported or not knowing enough. This has led to a terrible burden and has caused additional stress and anxiety for these folks who have chosen a profession to help people to live their best lives. Please support them with love and kindness whenever you can.
I remember our first meeting at work regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. I work in a surgery center and my background is in perioperative care. Our perioperative staff, consisting of RNs, surgical techs, scrub techs, sterile processing and others were told that our surgery center would be shutting down and that we would all be placed in hospitals or convention centers set up to take the expected COVID cases that would be admitted for treatments. Treatment of COVID-19 at this time was speculative and trails were being performed at different hospitals throughout the US, respirators would be need in alarming numbers, and health care workers would be needed everywhere. We would work wherever we are needed including COVID floors. I can tell you all about the fear that went through my mind that day as I looked around the room wondering who here would be affected, who would make it and who wouldn’t. The families that would be changed forever as well as the dynamics of your friendships. We are health-care workers and we are very proud to be called to that profession. As a whole-we typically do not back down to adversity or challenges but we like to embrace them. We study, we read, we talk, we trial things, we look at Evidence Based Practices (EBP) and change our environments and services to give our best to our patients. This is what we do. But this COVID-19 was a completely different animal and we did not have much information to rely on in the beginning to feel confident or in control. I myself, was frightened, intimidated and unsure of myself for the first time in a while. I know I am not alone in that feeling.
I went home that night trying to put on my resiliency mindset of “we will get through this, we always do, no problem.” Hours later, I broke down crying for at-least an hour trying to wrap my head around everything that would be changing in my life and the new things I would have to do and see at work and how I would protect my family from myself once I got back home. I am writing this blog---although it’s a year later—I remember this day like it was yesterday. I do not generally have anxiety, stress or depression. I think I do have a resilient mindset along with a very positive and powerful outlook on my life. However, this day made me see that even I can be riddled with anxiety and stress trying to figure out what to do in this situation. I got busy doing what I always do…putting plans in place to protect myself and my family. We put together handwashing stations in every room, disinfectant spray on every table, a protocol of stripping off clothes and shoes and placing into the washing machine before hitting the shower. We did not go to grocery stores, we had everything delivered and it sat on our porch for the appropriate hours after being sprayed with disinfectant. Remember doing this? Yeah, me too.
I think my whole point in remembering those days is to realize that we are ALL vulnerable to excessive amounts of stress and anxiety. Even those of us who don’t typically experience it on a regular basis. I decided to be a Reiki practitioner to help my fellow health care workers as well. I have a very real and personal experience with this subject and the anxiety that I felt from it. I didn’t have a job that I could work from home. I was an essential front-line worker who was expected to be at a location working with whatever type patients are there and what their needs are, whether it was my background or not. I wasn’t protected and forced to work my own home environment. Which I do not down play, I know that change and shift was very stressful for those who had to endure learning to work at home and also for some—teaching their children as well. If you are not a front-line worker-you probably can only imagine the stress that we went through—because you dealt with your own type of changes.
We health care worked need support and help too! We need someone to go to, that can see us when we aren’t working. We can’t always take the day off. Believe it or not, health care workers are not given priority or any special treatment when trying to schedule our appointments. The doctors and therapist offices are overwhelmed. It is difficult to get an appointment within a couple of months. Many of the therapist offices are now not accepting insurance either.
I want to be that someone who you can call for help. I can see you after work or on weekends to help get yourself back to your normal. I work in conjunction with medical doctors and therapists. Reiki is extremely helpful in reducing stress, anxiety and depression. Please ask any of my clients and they will tell you about the therapeutic value. I want you to know that I value you and what you do and what you have been through. You can feel better. Your body can heal itself. I can facilitate this for you. You can be in more control and feel peace of mind and well-being.
Peace and well-being affect every aspect of your life. I cannot prescribe pills but I can offer you holistic suggestions for peace and calm for your well-being while we are together. I can show you how to unblock your chakras so your energy will flow as it should. Think of your vortexes of energy as high ways to all your cells and organs in your body and mind. When they are blocked, you cannot get the vital energy that place in your body that needs to repair itself. It’s like having a clogged artery—hardly any nutrients or oxygen can get to where it needs to be and so healing either takes a very long time or it doesn’t happen.
If you are a health care worker, contact me during the monthly of September & October 2021 for 20% discount on 1 hour Reiki session!! Enter the discount code: healthcare when booking your appointment.
Namaste
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