Mental health professionals in Connecticut say one way to get through feelings of loneliness during the pandemic is the idea that everybody is going through these hard times together.
Dr. Stevan Marans is a psychoanalyst and trauma specialist with the Yale Child Study Center. He says when people choose to celebrate the holidays in their own home, that is one example of that inspiring solidarity.
“The idea of sacrifice for others is being seen across the board," Marans said. "There are so many people who have made the decision not to be together, often for their favorite holiday, because they want to play their part in ensuring the greatest amount of control in combating the worst impact of Covid-19.”
Marans says connecting with others over how hard this time has been helps people cope, even if it feels more natural for folks to retreat when they feel bad. He suggests parents learn how to recognize their own signs of stress or trauma and reach out to each other.
“To allow oneself to acknowledge what’s going on, to have guidance in terms of understanding what’s going on with oneself, and then to reach out to each other to support that this is not about feeling pathetic. This is about being a human being having responses,” Marans said.
He suggests parents learn how to recognize their feelings, so they can take care of themselves first and then focus on the family.