A trauma shared: Self-care for NHS workers that can help all of us

Help for Heroes: A Field Guide to Self Care

Many experts are saying that what we are experiencing now in this pandemic is a collective trauma. Some people are experiencing trauma first-hand, whether through work on the frontline, you or someone you know being ill, or losing someone to the virus.

The rest of us are witnessing a major global traumatic event. We may be feeling empathy for those suffering, feeling guilt and sadness, the grieving emotions, feeling afraid and anxious about loss or dying or losing our jobs, fear that our lives and those we care about will be affected irrevocably.

The effect of vicarious trauma is not to be underestimated: plenty of studies show that witnessing or listening to trauma, or having a family member experience a trauma, can produce post traumatic symptoms in others. A traumatic event can trigger past traumas and produce the same feelings that you haven’t felt for years.
We are all deeply connected; we are all in this together.

If you feel fine, by the way, that’s good. You probably won’t need to read this unless it is to support someone close to you who is suffering.

So, what do you do if you are dealing with overwhelming feelings in isolation, without anyone to turn to?

Help for Heroes, Military Veterans who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, have drawn up a comprehensive guide for NHS workers on how to cope with traumatic stress. I read through the guide and truly believe it would work for anyone suffering with anxiety and stress in this time.

Help for Heroes: A Field Guide to Self Care
Our Field Guide to Self-Care is for the men and women working tirelessly in our hospitals right now. We hope that it’s a useful resource for our healthcare heroes, and for anyone else who may be feeling stressed or anxious during these difficult times.
This field guide is divided into Body, Emotions and Mind. Click on each section and download the workbooks: they are beautifully laid out and easy to read. There are useful videos, too and lots of breathing exercises, which are one of the easiest ways to self-soothe when feeling panicked.

Try this Soothing Rhythm Breathing Exercise.
I would try this anyway; stressed or not. It will come in handy for helping others if they are worried or helping yourself when suddenly overwhelmed.

There is something connecting about sharing our resources and understanding what everyone else might be going through. And something truly uplifting in people reaching out and offering support.