Dr Emma Kavanagh

Coping with stressors can be done in a bunch of different ways. But in a situation like ours, where things are out of our control and we can’t physically go out there and change the course of the pandemic, emotional coping becomes more important.

It is not about changing where we are and what we are experiencing. Rather it is about helping our emotions cope with it.

When we perceive a threat in our environment, the amygdala (an almond shaped area located deep inside the brain) responds immediately. That is, in essence, its function.

It connects to the areas of our brain that process the outside world, and when it detects danger, it reacts, helping to trigger the stress response.

This is good. It is adaptive. When something is dangerous, we need to be able to pick it up and react to it quickly.

However, in a situation like a global pandemic (do not recommend!), it becomes less useful. There is so much in our daily lives that is terrifying. So, in order to get through this in as healthy a manner as possible,

what we need to do is activate our Prefrontal Cortex (NB, the smart bit). The PFC is then able to tell the amygdala to calm the hell down. These are the technical terms. I am a doctor, after all.

So…how do we do that? It turns out that there are a whole bunch of things we can do. Active coping is a major one. As we’ve already said, we have little control over the pandemic and what is happening around us.

What we can control, however, is our own daily lives (to an extent - I’ve attempted to control my way onto a Hawaiian beach with a MaiTai. No luck.)

What is interesting about this is that when we begin looking at our environment and seeking out ways in which we can gain control - be that by going for a walk, doing housework, making the choice to read a book or to sing - we activate the prefrontal cortex.

That prefrontal cortex then tamps down activity in the amygdala, reducing our sensation of stress.

This is likely to feel quite alien. We aren’t used to defying the force that is our stress response. However, there’s a great saying in psychology - cells that fire together, wire together. It will take a conscious choice the first time. which you can take control.

But quickly you will build a neural pathway which means that in situations of stress, you automatically look for ways in which you can take control.

We Brits are famous for our stiff upper lip. However, it turns out that when we inhibit the expression of our emotions, we do not decrease the actual feelings. Instead, pretending we are not feeling what we are feeling has an impact on our memories and actually INCREASES our

physiological stress response. So, don’t do that.

Emotional disclosure, on the other hand, is massively helpful. Writing about your feelings or seeking out a counsellor who will listen enables us to bring the prefrontal cortex to life, and allows us to THINK about how we feel, rather than being swept away by it.

And on that note, labelling our emotions can also be a powerful tool. Simply saying “I feel sad” or “I feel overwhelmed” is another way of activating the prefrontal cortex, which will then go on to reduce activity in our amygdala.

And finally, studies have show that accepting our emotions - being willing to experience whatever we are experiencing, both the good and the bad - is extremely good for us. It boosts our ability to tolerate pain and reduces our negative affect.

This is a very, very, VERY long way of saying, yes, everything is still crap. But we can handle this. Just one day at a time. And if you need to, cry.