{"id":2351,"date":"2020-06-17T08:29:17","date_gmt":"2020-06-17T07:29:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.minddesigns.co.uk\/?p=2351"},"modified":"2023-09-18T17:51:56","modified_gmt":"2023-09-18T16:51:56","slug":"how-to-cope-in-these-uncertain-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.minddesigns.co.uk\/how-to-cope-in-these-uncertain-times\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Cope in these Uncertain Times"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Uncertainty and your emotions\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uF5fgFCTG9Q?start=11&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"_2cuy _50a1 _2vxa\">Help Manage your Emotions during Lockdown<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"_5a_q _5yj1\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">The world is in the grip of a global pandemic<\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">We are living in extremely uncertain times &#8211; and that uncertainty can be hard to cope with<\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">You may feel worried right now.<\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">You may struggle to keep anxious thoughts in check.<\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">You might be feeling unsure about the future.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa\"><span class=\"_4yxo\">Help is at hand &#8211; you CAN learn to live with uncertainty more comfortably.<\/span><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"_2cuy _50a1 _2vxa\"><span class=\"_4yxo\">Facing Uncertainty is Scarier than Facing Physical Pain<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa\">A new study shows that the <span class=\"_4yxo\">uncertainty<\/span> of something bad happening can be more stressful that the <span class=\"_4yxo\">knowledge<\/span> of something bad happening.<\/div>\n<div class=\"_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa\">In 2016, a group of London researchers explored how people react to being told they will either <span class=\"_4yxo\">definitely<\/span> or <span class=\"_4yxo\">probably<\/span> receive a painful electric shock. They discovered something curious.<\/div>\n<div class=\"_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa\">Volunteers who knew they would <span class=\"_4yxo\">definitely <\/span>receive a painful electric shock felt <span class=\"_4yxo\">calmer<\/span> and were measurably less agitated than those who were told they only had a 50 percent chance of receiving the electric shock.<\/div>\n<div class=\"_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa\">Researchers recruited 45 volunteers to play a computer game in which they turned over digital rocks that might have snakes hiding underneath.<\/div>\n<div class=\"_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa\">Throughout the game, they had to guess whether each rock concealed a snake. When a snake appeared, they received a mild but painful electric shock on the hand.<\/div>\n<div class=\"_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa\">Over the course of the game they got better about predicting under which rocks they would find snakes, but the game was designed to keep changing the odds of success to maintain ongoing <span class=\"_4yxo\">uncertainty.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa\">When we\u2019re facing outcomes that are full of <span class=\"_4yxo\">uncertainty<\/span>, it\u2019s the fact that something bad <span class=\"_4yxo\">might happen<\/span> that really gets to us.<\/div>\n<div class=\"_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa\">The volunteers\u2019 level of<span class=\"_4yxo\"> uncertainty<\/span> correlated to their level of stress. So, if someone felt certain he or she would find a snake, stress levels were significantly lower than if the felt that <span class=\"_4yxo\">maybe<\/span> they would find a snake.<\/div>\n<div class=\"_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa\">In both cases, they\u2019d get a shock, but their <span class=\"_4yxo\">stress<\/span> was<span class=\"_4yxo\"> heightened considerably<\/span> when loaded <span class=\"_4yxo\">with added uncertainty.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa\"><span class=\"_4yxp\">Archy de Berker from the UCL Institute of Neurology said: \u201cOur experiment allows us to draw conclusions about the effect of <\/span><span class=\"_4yxo _4yxp\">uncertainty<\/span><span class=\"_4yxp\"> on stress. It turns out that it\u2019s <\/span><span class=\"_4yxo _4yxp\">much<\/span> <span class=\"_4yxo _4yxp\">worse<\/span> <span class=\"_4yxo _4yxp\">not knowing<\/span><span class=\"_4yxp\"> you are going to get a shock than knowing you definitely will or won\u2019t\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"_2cuy _50a1 _2vxa\">Uncertainty Triggers our Primitive Survival Instinct<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"_5a_q _5yj1\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">If we can\u2019t neutralize a <span class=\"_4yxo\">perceived<\/span> threat, we engage in the unhelpful process called worry<\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">We grapple with whatever the problem is, to find solutions to the threat, but often get lost in a maze and come out with more questions than answers.<\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">Does this make us feel better? No of course it doesn\u2019t &#8211; it adds to our anxiety and makes us feel more helpless than before.<\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">In our need for <span class=\"_4yxo\">certainty<\/span>, we are wired to \u2018catastrophise\u2019 &#8211; we often view a situation as being worse than it actually is. We thing a a very \u2018all or nothing way\u2019 which produces feelings of hopelessness and fear.<\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">The modern brain struggles to distinguish between<span class=\"_4yxo\"> real<\/span> threat and <span class=\"_4yxo\">perceived<\/span> threat. So therefore, even though a threat may only be \u2018imagined\u2019, our system reacts at every level<span class=\"_4yxo\"> as<\/span> <span class=\"_4yxo\">though it is real.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">The result is that the primitive brain takes over and triggers the primitive survival instinct known as <span class=\"_4yxo\">fight or flight.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">It asks questions &#8211; What is going to happen? What is round the corner for me? What can I do? Should I be doing more\/less? What if I can\u2019t pay my bills? How do I keep my family safe? What if I become ill? How long is it going to last?<\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">The lack of answers can lead to feeling of <span class=\"_4yxo _4yxp\">Anger, Aggression, Frustration, Fear, Anxiety, Overwhelm, Depression.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"_2cuy _50a1 _2vxa\">What Can we do to Mitigate Uncertainty<\/h3>\n<div class=\"_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa\">Even though these fears are perfectly understandable under the current circumstances, there are a number of things we can do to lessen the effects of uncertainty.<\/div>\n<ul class=\"_5a_q _5yj1\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">Awareness is your superpower &#8211; be aware of your feelings and emotions. Don\u2019t think of them as being good or bad, just ask yourself if they are<span class=\"_4yxo\"> Usefu<\/span>l or<span class=\"_4yxo\"> Unuseful.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">Notice the<span class=\"_4yxo\"> \u2018worry story\u2019<\/span> and<span class=\"_4yxo\"> \u2018films\u2019<\/span> that you are producing. Create a scheduled <span class=\"_4yxo\">\u2018worry window\u2019<\/span> &#8211; perhaps ten minutes, twice a day, so that you can better manage any negative thoughts and feelings. Use these pre-scheduled slots as opportunities to contain your worries and free up the rest of the day.<\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">Recognise that there are always things in life that we have no control over. Accept that this has always been the case. Instead<span class=\"_4yxo\"> focus<\/span> your precious <span class=\"_4yxo\">energy<\/span> on those<span class=\"_4yxo\"> things<\/span> that are <span class=\"_4yxo\">within your control<\/span>. This will allow you to become more able to come up with positive solutions.<\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">Focus on your breathing at regular intervals &#8211; long slow breaths. It calms down the system and reduces anxiety. There are many helpful tips on the internet to help with this or feel free to get in touch <span class=\"_4yxo\">here<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">Accept<span class=\"_4yxo\"> uncertainty <\/span>and keep reminding yourself that this strange and unfamiliar situation <span class=\"_4yxo\">will pass. <\/span> Allow yourself to stop the struggle and think of it as your \u2018new normal\u2019 for now.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"_2cuy _50a1 _2vxa\">Stand up to Anxiety with Some Mood Boosters<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"_5a_q _5yj1\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">Exercise and Movement, Indoors or outdoors &#8211; be creative.<\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">Meditation, self-hypnosis &#8211; many free tracks on You Tube or give me a call <span class=\"_4yxo\">here<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">Achievement oriented activity &#8211; could be anything at all that gives you a sense of satisfaction and purpose.<\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">Something<span class=\"_4yxo\"> pleasant or fun<\/span> &#8211; again this will be different for everyone. Think of it as <span class=\"_4yxo\">medicine for the body and mind.<\/span> It takes you out of the <span class=\"_4yxp\">fight and flight<\/span> and gives your whole system a wonderful opportunity to <span class=\"_4yxo\">rest<\/span> and <span class=\"_4yxo\">recuperate<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">Communicate with others in safe ways &#8211; connection is very important at times like this.<\/li>\n<li class=\"_2cuy _509q _2vxa\">Listen to music &#8211; it\u2019s a great way to change your mood and physiology &#8211; <span class=\"_4yxo\">\u2018dancing like nobody is watching\u2019<\/span> makes it even<span class=\"_4yxo\"> more<\/span> <span class=\"_4yxo\">powerful.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa\">These unprecedented times have turned all our worlds upside down. Some more dramatically than others. It\u2019s forcing us to adapt in a way that none of us were prepared for, which means we are going through a massive learning curve. Hopefully, this article has helped you understand why the uncertainty of our current situation has been so challenging. Even though it\u2019s how we\u2019re wired, we can help ourselves override the fear response. So be kind and patient with yourself and to others and don\u2019t forget, it won\u2019t last forever.<\/div>\n<div class=\"_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa\">Stay safe and please feel free to get in touch if there is anything I can help you with.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Help Manage your Emotions during Lockdown The world is in the grip of a global pandemic We are living in extremely uncertain times &#8211; and that uncertainty can be hard to cope with You may feel worried right now. You may struggle to keep anxious thoughts in check. You might be feeling unsure about the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2336,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.minddesigns.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2351"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.minddesigns.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.minddesigns.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.minddesigns.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.minddesigns.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2351"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.minddesigns.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2351\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2425,"href":"https:\/\/www.minddesigns.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2351\/revisions\/2425"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.minddesigns.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.minddesigns.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2351"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.minddesigns.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2351"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.minddesigns.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}