Pressure Points

I always have an image in my mind of an organization or culture as a large living organism that has indentations where people, groups or communities are feeling unique pressures. These are their stressors or pressure points.

For a vision, let's think of Bob the Blob from the animated movie "Monsters vs. Aliens" :)

If there is balance in that organization or culture, then Bob the Blob is perfectly rounded. That is my dream world.

However, we don’t live in my dream world. Our "blob" is filled with indentations with so many pressure points.

This current pandemic we are living through has drastically changed the pressure points for many people, groups and communities. Just to name a few:

While some are enjoying the solitude, others are struggling with loneliness and isolation.

While some are working in their regular places of work, others are now working from home.

While some are enjoying the opportunity to work from home, others are struggling to manage the work, childcare or home-schooling, and housework.

While some are still working, others have lost their jobs.

While some are still working a little, others are working even more.

While some families are enjoying and relishing the quality time together, others are losing their patience and struggling with all of the together-ness.

While some companies are busy, others have had to close their businesses either temporarily or permanently.

Everyone is being forced to give up all events, activities and cultural centres that brought their communities together.

Our first responders and ER staff are busier than ever and in more dangerous circumstances than ever.

Our grocery store clerks, cleaners, delivery drivers, food providers and many others are required to keep working knowing the risk to their health is high and many of those are low income earners.

If someone has a loved one in the hospital, they cannot visit them.

And for those who have lost loved ones, they are forced to grieve within their own household, and not among friends and family.

This shift in pressure points has been stressful for so many people. And face it, most of us act differently under stress and it isn’t usually the best version of ourselves. The following 3 examples of this resonated with me:

1. The tragic and senseless mass killing in Nova Scotia. While we don’t know the full story (and we probably never will), we do know this man lost his ability to work due to COVID-19.

2. The Vancouver Battered Women Support Services reported a 300% increase in just 3 weeks, with 40% of those calls from first-time callers.

3. MSN shared a story about China’s divorce rates that have significantly increased post-quarantine.

Intense situations like these test our resiliency. Some of us will already be drawing on our reservoir of resources while others are finding their reservoir depleted or even non-existent, where behaviours and actions are harmful to both themselves and others.

For those needing to replenish their reservoir and reduce the effects of these pressure points, there are support services available in BC. Search for the following:

1. Child & Youth Mental Health

2. Battered Women’s Support Services

3. Virtual Counselling

4. BC Health Links - Stress Management

5. The Employee & Family Assistance Program from your work

(If you live outside of BC, please check for similar resources in your area.)

We can all benefit from resiliency -- for both ourselves and those around us.

How full is your reservoir? What can you do now to fill up your reservoir?

Let me know if you would like to discuss non-medical strategies for building your own resiliency.

Resources

1. MSN.com. March 16, 2020. Divorce Cases Rise in China as Couples Spend Too Much Time Together During Coronavirus Home Quarantine. Retrieved from: https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/divorce-cases-rise-in-china-as-couples-spend-too-much-time-together-during-coronavirus-home-quarantine/ar-BB11gXnQ

2. Daya, R. and Azpiri, J. April 7, 2020. Calls to Vancouver domestic-violence crisis line spike 300% amid COVID-19 pandemic. Retrieved from: https://globalnews.ca/news/6789403/domestic-violence-coronavirus/

3. Izzo, J. April 11, 2020. Men and COVID-19: The Hidden Story. Retrieved from: https://vancouversun.com/opinion/john-izzo-men-and-covid-19-the-hidden-story/

Photo: Tammy Brimner/TLBVelo Photography