Dealing with Stress During the Pandemic

Question: I have used a wheelchair since I was in my twenties and in recent years have developed significant neurological pain in my shoulder. I have tried a number of treatment options with varying degrees of success. One thing I have noticed is that stress tends to exacerbate the pain. This past year, because of the pandemic, has been particularly stressful for me. What are some things I can do to deal with this stress?

Response from Rhoda Olkin, PhD: You are quite right that stress increases pain, in two ways: it increases inflammation which causes pain, and it decreases tolerance thus increasing our perception of the pain. This is a vicious cycle, since the pain becomes a stressor in itself. The past year (and more) of the pandemic has been stressful in so many ways, including economics, health, social isolation, contagion and illness fears, relationships. And that’s true even if you never watch the news!

I wish I had a magic pill for stress. Learning to manage one’s level of stress is an important life skill, and like all skills, it takes learning, practice and repetition to get better. I’m going to suggest a few ideas, all of which will not seem like they are helping one little bit until you have incorporated them more fully into your daily routine and your mindset. Remember to breathe deeply (four counts inhale through the nose, hold for four counts, let it out through your mouth for four counts).

First, accept that you are stressed. If one track in your mind is saying “I’m so stressed!” and the other track is saying “You need to stop being so stressed!” then you are compounding your stress. Second, at the end of each day, write down three things that went well that day. These can be really small things, like “I liked that new toast I tried” or “there was no line at the grocery store” or “I got a load of laundry done today” or “I worked on that project for fifteen minutes.” If you really and truly cannot find three things, it might be that you are trained to look for the negative (through upbringing or disposition or depression) and have to reprogram your perceptions. Or it might be that you really don’t have three good things and your life really is out of balance, and some changes need to be made.

Third, do nice things for yourself. Light a candle at the dinner table, hire someone to clean the house, have a donut, drink tea in the middle of the day, get your car detailed, buy a houseplant. Fourth, socialize, whether by Zoom or phone or Facetime or however. Do this even when it might feel like you don’t want to. It can be for just ten minutes a day.

Fifth, do something for someone else. Whether it’s part of a nonprofit organization (hey, I just happen to know one related to polio!) or a friend, neighbor or family member, doing for others has been reliably shown to improve moods. And lastly, smile and laugh. I don’t mean this ironically. Smiling makes even depressed people feel better and laughing releases endorphins. So, look for the funny wherever you are.

And thank you for writing – you are not alone in feeling stressed and your question is timely.

Post-Polio Health (Vol. 37, No. 2, Winter 2021)