12 Ways Christians Can Self-Care For Coronavirus

At the beginning of the month, we shared 10 signs your emotionally exhausted or traumatized, noting that the coronavirus was already making people feel overwhelmed and frustrated. In two days, it became our most viewed article of the year. That was 2 weeks ago and I do not doubt people are still stressed and overwhelmed with self-isolation, negative effects of the coronavirus, and self-care.

Three weeks ago, we actually already talked about how to reduce your stress about the coronavirus, but since then, more things have changed in life and more people have taken time to share resources. Check these out:

1. Read Up On Faith and Mental Health

We have a whole collection of books you could read up on and from different therapeutic techniques such as Narrative Therapy or Bibliotherapy, reading other stories is helpful and with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, educating yourself on mental health and faith improves your psychoeducation and understanding of what is happening to yourself. Plus, for many, reading is a great coping skill.

2. Prayer

We actually give a whole list of scientific reasons on how prayer has been studied to help people with their mental illnesses, but as Christians we have a relationship with our all-powerful, all-knowing, and everlasting Creator and King. With these unique times, we need to make sure we continue to pray for others as it puts our eyes on selfless reasons, pray for decisions that are made, and pray for healing and safety as God’s will be done.

3. Connect With Someone

There is actually a Disaster Distress Helpline you can contact, hosted by SAMSHA. You can visit their website, call 1-800-985-5990, or text TalkWithUs to 66746. Of course, if this is an extreme situation where you are fearing suicide or child abuse, please contact 911 immediately. For issues of domestic violence, visit the National Domestic Violence Hotlineexternal icon or call 1-800-799-7233 and TTY 1-800-787-3224

4. 30 Days Of Regrounding & Self-Reflection During Self-Quarantine

Brittney Moses is out of California doing amazing work on how people can use faith to achieve mental wellness. She currently has a list of journaling prompts to use during this time of quarantining to maintain mental wellness.

5. Stop The Spread of Rumors

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) encourage you to help stop the spread of rumors. They believe in this so much, they created a whole fact sheet on COVID-19 that you should read about.

6. Try Something New, Maybe An App

These are interesting and new times, why not try some new coping skills? We reviewed the Headspace app a while ago and absolutely love it. But there is another app we are testing out that is similar but for Christians called Abide. It might work for some and not others, but the worst outcome is that you don’t get anything out of it and simply keep looking. For many, it is there time of peace that they can use to recenter, talk to God, and keep moving forward in a busy, chaotic, unknown day.

7. Boundaries In A Pandemic

The Grace Alliance put together an online webinar with Alison Cook, Ph.D on how families desperately need to learn about boundaries and improve them during this time of quarantining and self-isolation.

8. Parent Well With Your Kids

Here are several things you should do to help your children if they are negatively responding to stress about the coronavirus.

• Talk with your child or teen about the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Answer questions in a way that your child or teen can understand. (Use the fact sheet from the CDC listed above)
• Reassure your child or teen that they are safe. Let them know it is ok if they feel upset. Share with them how you deal with your own stress so that they can learn how to cope from you.
• Limit your family’s exposure to news coverage of the event, including social media. Children may misinterpret what they hear and can be frightened about something they do not understand.
• Try to keep up with regular routines. If schools are closed, create a schedule for learning activities and relaxing or fun activities.
• Be a role model. Take breaks, get plenty of sleep, exercise, and eat well. Connect with your friends and family members.

9. Find More Motivation

I find it interesting that the biggest hit to myself is motivation, a month after I released an eBook on how to keep being creative when you want to give up. But I’ve re-read what I wrote and it perfectly applies, though with quarantine life some ideas are going to have to wait (like write in a new area). Check out the eBook “Quit Giving Up” here.

10. Find Support, Online

FreshHope has always done a good job of offering Christian mental health support groups, but during this trying time, they offered a free two-hour session specifically for those who have stress and anxiety about COVID-19. It is co-facilitated by Joy Stevens from the Trauma Healing Institute of the American Bible Society.

11. Another Webinar

Since we shared one webinar, here is another one. From Kay Warren, wife of the famous Rick Warren who co-founded Saddleback Church, founder of Hope for Mental Health, helps oversee Celebrate Recovery, and board member of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, she has several webinars in unique issues arising from the coronavirus that you can watch on her Facebook page.

12. Chrisitan Mental Health Blogging on COVID-19

KeyMinistry.org has decided to dedicate their “A Church for Every Child” blog solely to issues of COVID-19 for the months of April and May. Go check them out.

What else would you share for those who are struggling? Share in the comments below.