Hi Everyone,
I know it’s been a long time. I am currently finishing up my degree and whatnot. I have very much missed writing here.
I imagine the the biggest thing on everyone’s mind right now is Covid-19. While I can’t offer any medical advice, I am so not qualified for that. But, I am in a high- risk groups between my Asthma.
[Edit. I had said that my Hidradenitis Suppurativa put me in a hight high risk group. That was the advice I had recieved from the Health Service Executive (HSE). Doctors have since found out more about Covid-19. The advice is now that people with chronic skin conditions are not nesserarily more at risk. So first of all, thats a relief and second follow this cool link to find out more.]
Suffice to say I’m anxious.
I am here to share.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
First of all, this is so scary, that’s perfectly okay. Some of us have medical conditions that put us at risk. More of us have family members and friends they worry about. At no point should you feel dismissed.
For me, part of the panic is all the information that’s coming at me. We have access to it all the time on our phones, TV, rumours. This makes it personal for us, it puts it in our homes, even if we don’t contract the virus.
The more other people panic, the more that rubs off on us.
It makes us feel as though our lives are in imminent danger all the time.
Again I cannot offer you any medical advice, but for me, the key is to stay calm and plan.
1. I’m not bulk buying soap,
I know that everyone needs to wash their hands to protect everyone they come in contact with. I would like them to be able to do that.
As an aside, I want to mention Hibiscrub. Hibiscrub is a wash used in medical and veterinary practices. It is also used by some people, like me, who have Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS). It keeps our lesions clean and helps prevent them.
In the panic buying, it is becoming very difficult to get hold of the stuff. For people like me, there’s not anything else we can use.
I would like to ask that if your doctor has not recommended you use it and you are healthy, that you not buy it. It is not necessary that you use it, but it is necessary for me.
2. I turn off notifications on my phone sometimes.
If things are getting overwhelming, I don’t engage with the information. Media audiences actively engage with the content they consume. You decide what you read, how you will respond and sometimes you create or broadcast the content. This is an important issue but, it’s important to take a break as well.
Check out my post from last year about social media safety
3. I am finding out about the contingency plans for college.
My University has daily updates and seems to be preparing to move lectures online. I am working on a plan that will allow me to continue with my final year project (FYP), no matter what.
If you need to work from home, know what your workplace/college plan is. If your lectures are now online keep up to date and know what happens to your projects
Photo by Timothy L Brock on Unsplash
4. I am checking my sources.
If you has been reading this blog for a while knows there’s a lot of sources whose information is not accurate. If you have questions, find advice from your work- place or college and follow the advice of your health service. This is why I started Girl Down a Rabbit Hole and it’s a practice that is one of the most important in my life.
I’m sorry Twitter speculation doesn’t count.
5. I’m keeping myself safe.
When I say I am keeping myself safe, I mean my mental health. I rely on my social support, friends and family. I also rely on the media literacy skills I have learned at college. Panic will do me no good.
I am looking after my mind because it is amazing and so is yours!
I read an article this morning that claimed that this virus is worse than anything in living memory. I can’t speak to the truth of that, I am in no way qualified, I’m also not sharing it in case it is misinformation. I do think though is that we have a lot of information we didn’t have in previous years and science is advancing.
This is worrying, but not hopeless!
Image Credit: Speech Bubble by Anna Stam, Noun Project & brain by Andrew Nascimento, Noun Project. Sketch Rabbit: Shannon Sweeney
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