Do you feel depleted? Not sure why you feel so hopeless and helpless at the same time? Perhaps you’re at surge capacity. Surge capacity is a collection of adapted systems that humans draw on for short term survival and very acute, stressful situations such as a natural disaster. 

Candis Boily, LPC, from Show Me Hope explains this concept and gives several ways to come in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgxsaG_yMn0

Because the Covid-19 Pandemic is a natural disaster with no clear end, the majority of us are feeling a sense of ambiguous loss, that’s any type of loss that’s unclear with a lack of resolution. 

If you’re an achiever who likes to get things done or likes routine, this can be an especially hard time. Cue helplessness and hopelessness. As a result, we can experience all the phases of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, all in an hour, a day, or several weeks. Because the pandemic is ongoing, all these emotions come at us in a non-linear fashion. 

So how do we cope? Here are 7 tips for reaching acceptance: 

  1. Accept that life is different right now.
  2. Expect less from yourself- there’s a lot going on. Focus on what you can get through each day. 
  3. Recognize the different aspects of grief- recognize how you’re feeling and try to see how you can grow from that. 
  4. Experiment with “both-and” thinking- Although we can’t change the situation, we can change the perception of what we are experiencing. ie: I am highly capable, and I’m also moving with the flow of each day. 
  5. Look for activities- old and now- that continue to fill you. 
  6. Focus on maintaining and strengthening relationships- Social support is one of the biggest areas of resilience. 
  7. Begin building your resilience bank account- Begin building practices into your lifestyle that promote resilience like sleep, nutrition, exercise, and meditation. 

For the full article on this topic by Tara Haelle, click here: https://elemental.medium.com/your-surge-capacity-is-depleted-it-s-why-you-feel-awful-de285d542f4c 

If you need more coping strategies or support during this pandemic, try calling us at Show Me Hope for crisis counseling and mental health support- it’s free and anonymous. We’re here to listen. 

Disaster Distress Hotline: 1-800-985-5990
Tri-County Mental Health: 816-468-0400