by J.C. Watts
by J.C. Watts
Milwaukee, WI – The City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) has been notified of a one year, $500,000 grant extension, totaling 1.35 Million Dollars from the National Association of City County Health Officials (NACCHO) to continue to fight the opioid epidemic. On November 8, 2019, NACCHO announced that MHD has been awarded $735,000 for implementing overdose prevention strategies at the local level. In conjunction with the Milwaukee Fire Department’s (MFD) Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative (MORI), Milwaukee will be able to continue to combat the opioid epidemic on a larger scale. “This funding will increase our ability to help and support those struggling with addiction and the people who need and care about them,” said Mayor Tom Barrett. “The community-based care provided through the MORI partnership helps heal the wounds of addiction, and I am pleased to see that work expanded.”
MORI is a collaboration between MHD and MFD, along with remarkable peer support specialists from Community Medical Services (CMS), Wishope and CleanSlate who implement activities that address Milwaukee County challenges related to drugs overdoses with the goals of: decreasing overdose fatalities, increasing access to evidence based treatment, and decreasing emergency department usage. Sponsored by Alderman Michael J. Murphy and overseen by Captain Michael Wright of MFD, MORI is dedicated to increasing its capacity to respond effectively to the opioid epidemic by working with community partners and rolling out evidence based strategies at the local level. “The building blocks that bring us to this point start with the Milwaukee Fire Department’s Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) Program and the faith placed in us by elected leaders. Our plan was to see what “we” as a community in its entirety could do. We now see that the collaboration works and saves lives!” advised Captain Michael Wright MIH Manager
Details:
In addition to the original scope of work, new plans for grant-funded activities include:
MHD and grant partners are dedicated to focusing on the prevention of overdoses in Milwaukee County and eradication of the opioid epidemic that is devastating our communities. According to Dr. Jeanette Kowalik, Commissioner of Health, “On behalf of the City of Milwaukee Health Department, we are elated to receive not only a grant extension but additional funding to continue to work of MORI in partnership with MFD as well as many other partners. Despite being in a pandemic, we still need to address the opioid epidemic that has been compounded due to uncertainty about the future, loss of hope, un/underemployment, and limited access to mental health services and supports.”
City-County Heroin, Opioid, and Cocaine Task Force (CCHOCTF)
The City-County Heroin, Opioid, and Cocaine Task Force (CCHOCTF) (City of Milwaukee Resolution, Common Council File Number 161061, passed January 18, 2017) is charged with investigating and making recommendations regarding ways to ensure long-term health and safety of City and County residents by reducing fatal and nonfatal overdose from misuse of opioids, heroin, and synthetic analogs, and cocaine (in both powder and crack form) through data-driven public health prevention approaches. The CCHOCTF represents multiple sectors from city, county, and state agencies and those with lived experiences of substance abuse. The CCHOCTF meets regularly to gather information and create items to guide the community in addressing substance abuse.
Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative
The Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative (MORI) is a community-wide approach, which operationalizes the Milwaukee City-County Heroin, Opioid, and Cocaine Task Force (CCHOCTF) recommendations. The goal initially is to focus on decreasing fatalities by utilizing diverse databases to uncover trends, streamline access to treatment, and provide education in schools.
Freezer pizza or mac ‘n cheese? Before lockdown, it was an easy task to go to the grocery store on your way home from a busy day and pick up a quick convenience meal for dinner. With the fast-paced frantic lifestyle we face in the outside world under usual circumstances, being in lockdown means many Americans have been able to take a well-deserved break and put their health first. While there is no doubt about the harsh disruption the pandemic has caused to our daily lives, it has certainly granted many the chance to improve unhealthy habits they may have fallen into over the years.
Rehabs.com, a provider of rehabilitation resources and treatment information, conducted a study of 3,000 Americans to find out if they have adopted healthier choices during lockdown. Overall, over half of Wisconsinites (57%) say lockdown has inspired them to make healthier lifestyle choices, such as quitting smoking, exercising more and drinking less alcohol. This is compared to the national average of 54%.
Broken down across the nation, it appears North Dakotans were the most motivated to change their ways during this time – 77% of residents here say the lockdown inspired them to make healthier life choices. By comparison, Alaskans seem to have taken lockdown a little harder with just 33% saying they have made positive lifestyle changes over the last few months. Known for their love of outdoor activities, perhaps this is unsurprising as their healthy lifestyles are likely at a higher level anyway!
View these results across the US in the following infographic.
Of course, most people have a specific lifestyle concern they have always wanted to address. Of those surveyed, 56% say they have started eating healthier since it began. This was followed by 35% of respondents taking up more exercise, and 7% quitting drinking and smoking.
In fact, it seems Americans are either running low on liquor or the thrill of drinking has worn off, as over 1 in 5 people (22%) say their alcohol consumption has decreased the longer lockdown has continued. Broken down by gender, 36% of men say this is the case, as compared to 10% of women.
When visits to the outside world are limited, regular trips to the grocery store or nearest takeout are not so easy. This means fewer processed convenience foods – such as microwave meals and freezer pizzas – and more homecooked, wholesome dinners. This is possibly why a significant 43% of respondents admit their diet has improved since the start of lockdown.
Moreover, because there is no need for an afternoon commute when working from home, it helps to have some extra time in the evenings to prepare a healthy meal. Cooking for yourself and/or your family can get repetitive if you are doing it every single day, multiple times per day. However, many people appear to have embraced this opportunity to fine-tune their skills in the kitchen – the average American learned to cook four new, innovative recipes since lockdown began.
“Even though some are afforded the gift of time with commutes and rush-hour traffic no longer being a daily issue, anxiety and depression surrounding the pandemic are still conditions being felt by many,” said Dr. Lawrence Weinstein, chief medical officer for American Addiction Centers. “With more time available, unhealthy habits such as increased substance and/or alcohol use can persist. For those who may be dealing with those issues, making better lifestyle choices such as lessening alcohol intake, adapting a better diet and exercise not only improves physical health, but are beneficial for mental health as well.”
Statement of Alderman Michael J. Murphy
June 10, 2020
I am extremely grateful for the one-year $500,000 grant extension, totaling $1.35 million for Milwaukee’s anti-overdose initiative from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). When I initially founded the program, the initiative was granted $735,000, and the additional award of $500,000 will greatly benefit the fight against the opioid epidemic in Milwaukee and Milwaukee County. The announcement of the extension of the grant through 2021 will also ensure the ability to help the Milwaukee Fire Department’s (MFD) Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative (MORI) – which I sponsored – in gaining valuable resources to continue its almost daily work to combat the opioid epidemic.
In addition to the services that MORI has been able to provide since its founding in 2019, the extension of the grant will allow for identifying additional ways to address the problem at hand. I am pleased to hear about the new plans in how the program will be able to address both fatal and nonfatal overdoses, focus on trauma and trauma related death, provide continuum of care and resources for families, and to devote efforts to prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). By continuing to collaborate with community partners, I know MORI will be able to make an even greater impact on the opioid epidemic in Milwaukee County.
Again, I am extremely pleased with the grant extension and the increase in funding. I know well how this positive development is needed to further combat the devastation that the opioid epidemic has caused to Milwaukee communities, and I am proud to have had a role in securing this grant funding to ensure we will remain in a strong position to help save lives.
Summer is on its way, which means so are mosquitoes. The flying pests invade neighborhoods like an army, but they aren’t just a backyard nuisance with bites that itch. They also can carry dangerous diseases, including West Nile virus and Zika.
Most regions of the U.S. have issues with mosquitoes, but knowing prevention and mitigation measures can stop them from mushrooming into a big problem, says Dr. Craig Stoops (www.mosquito-authority.com), a retired U.S. Navy medical entomologist and chief science officer at Mosquito® Authority, a mosquito control company.
“People are unfortunately attractive to mosquitoes,” Dr. Stoops says, “but there are numerous ways we can avoid the irritation and the potential danger of a bite. So much has to do with preparing your property and knowing how mosquitoes thrive.
“Some people are more susceptible to bites than others. Mosquitoes can be attracted to different chemicals found in human skin. But just because mosquitoes are an inevitable part of summer doesn’t mean you’re defenseless.”
Dr. Stoops offers five tips on reducing the appearance of mosquitoes and their bites:
“Many people just think of bug spray during mosquito season,” Dr. Stoops says. “The main idea should be to keep them out of your yard as much as possible. From there, considering summer is the time to get away, always prepare for your environment, especially if hiking or camping.”
About Dr. Craig Stoops
Dr. Craig Stoops (www.mosquito-authority.com), LCDR (ret.) MSC USN, is a retired U.S. Navy Medical Entomologist and chief science officer at Mosquito® Authority, a mosquito control company. He has conducted mosquito control and research in the United States, South and Central America, Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East. He has a B.S. in biology from Shippensburg University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Entomology from Clemson University. Dr. Stoops is board certified by the Entomological Society of America in Medical and Veterinary Entomology.
Christian Family Solutions Expands Mental Health Counseling Services to Inner-City Milwaukee Students with $100,000 Grant from Bader Philanthropies
MILWAUKEE – (June 9, 2020) – Christian Family Solutions (CFS); a non-profit organization that provides professional mental health outpatient counseling, school-based counseling, and day treatment for students; today announced it is expanding services with a grant of $100,000 from Bader Philanthropies, Inc. CFS’ outpatient counseling and day treatment programs provide trauma-informed and culturally sensitive therapies to Milwaukee children at little to no cost to students and schools. CFS currently has outpatient counselors in 18 Milwaukee urban schools and also offers a higher level of care through its STRONG Day Treatment Program, the only program of its kind in the city.
CFS places mental health counselors in Milwaukee’s inner-city schools to offer the highest quality treatment and services to students in grades K-12. Offering this level of care on a school campus helps reduce the stigma associated with mental health treatment and is convenient for staff, parents, and students, who would otherwise not get the help they need. According to “Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Wisconsin’s Children” by Kids Forward, children of color, children without insurance, foreign-born children, and children who do not speak English face even greater barriers to treatment, and often receive fewer and poorer services. Most of the families CFS serves would not utilize mental health services, even if they were available, unless they are conveniently offered at the school. These services have a ripple-effect in the community with the potential to impact thousands, since they benefit not only the children, but also their parents or guardians, siblings, teachers, classmates, and the greater community.
The grant is allowing CFS to place five additional outpatient counselors in urban schools, and support staffing of its STRONG (Successfully Treating and Reaching Our Next Generation) Day Treatment Program, which provides intensive outpatient therapy to students with more significant challenges, and operates at the north campus of St. Marcus Lutheran School. This program serves children who display symptoms of anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, attention deficit, and other mental health conditions, and are in danger of academic expulsion. The STRONG Day Treatment Program helps youth heal through behavioral interventions, so they can become more stable and academically successful.
“The grant from Bader Philanthropies allows us to continue expanding this effective program, train more counselors, and serve more youth at additional schools,” said Mark Klug, chief executive officer of Christian Family Solutions. “We know it is of utmost importance that we maintain our school counseling and STRONG programs because in some cases we are these students’ last hope for treating trauma in their lives and remaining in school. The expansion of services will help us continue to address students’ underlying issues and help them become better students and contributing members of their community. We have already started to place these new counselors and we’re thankful to Bader Philanthropies for providing this grant, especially at a critical time when our community needs us the most.”
CFS’ mental health counseling services are more critical now than ever in Milwaukee as other treatment providers are eliminating their treatment programs for youth, no longer taking new referrals, or closing their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, at the beginning of the pandemic, CFS’ School-Based Counseling and STRONG Day Treatment Programs were transitioned to telehealth services. This allowed CFS to remain in contact with the students they serve, as well as teachers and school staff. They continue to offer the same services, just provided remotely.
A positive development as a result of the COVID-19 situation is CFS was able to stay in touch with many of the students and increase interaction with their families using telehealth. The STRONG program reopened June 1 for in-person day treatment and CFS will continue to offer services in summer. If schools remain closed and CFS needs to continue services through telehealth in the fall, it anticipates being able to serve the same number of students, if not more, because of its telehealth structure. CFS plans to serve 600 or more students during the 2020-2021 school year. CFS currently has a waiting list of schools that have requested its services, and it expects those requests to grow as students get back to their classrooms in the fall and mental health disorders become apparent.
Students in Wisconsin have the second-highest rate of severe major depressive episodes in the country, and the teen suicide rate in Wisconsin is higher than the national average according to Mental Health America. However, the majority of young people with mental health disorders do not receive the help they need. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction estimates 80 percent of students in need don’t receive professional help. The consequences of untreated mental health issues are often life-long. “Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Wisconsin’s Children” says unaddressed mental health problems in school can lead to suspensions and expulsions that limit educational opportunities and achievement. CFS’ goals include reaching students sooner and being able to intervene with the appropriate level of service before behavior becomes problematic or the student is expelled.
“CFS provides young people an opportunity to process their emotions in constructive ways, especially during a time when routines are being redefined,” said Daniel J. Bader, president and CEO of Bader Philanthropies. “The type of counseling and treatment services that CFS offers are essential to ensure students succeed in the classroom and the Milwaukee community has the mental agility to move forward in our shared COVID-19 pandemic experience.”
Since 2008, CFS has assisted more than 3,500 students and provided more than 30,000 outpatient counseling sessions with students and their families. Now in its third year of operation, the STRONG day treatment program has provided services to more than 200 students.
CFS is currently providing outpatient services on-site at 18 different urban schools in Milwaukee. Each of the locations have been certified by the State of Wisconsin as a school branch outpatient clinic. This designation allows CFS to serve children in the schools and also family members who are struggling in underserved areas of Milwaukee. The 18 schools CFS provides services at are:
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About Christian Family Solutions
Based in Germantown, Wisconsin, Christian Family Solutions (CFS) is a non-profit organization that provides professional mental health outpatient counseling, school-based counseling, day treatment and intensive outpatient programs for students through its 52 clinics in 6 states, at partner schools, and through secure telehealth services. CFS blends evidence-based methods and high standards of care with faith-based principles to heal and help individuals facing a wide range of mental health issues. Learn more at ChristianFamilySolutions.org.
About Bader Philanthropies, Inc.
Milwaukee-based Bader Philanthropies, Inc. is a philanthropic leader in improving the quality of life of the diverse communities in which it works. The organization funds innovative projects and programs, convenes partners, and shares knowledge to affect emerging issues in key areas. Since its founding in 1992 as the Helen Bader Foundation, the organization has committed more than $350 million in grants and program-related investments, such as loans and equity investments that advance its charitable mission. For more information on Bader Philanthropies, visit www.bader.org.
Making the Wipes
Step 1: Reuse an old coffee canister as the container for your wipes. You can leave it as is, or you can spray paint the can, both inside and out, to give it a pop of color, while also preventing it from rusting
Step 2: Cut a paper towel in half using a knife (serrated knives work the best), and place both halves vertically into the coffee canister. It’s okay if you have to squish the rolls to get them in; this will not affect the end result.
Step 3: In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, 1/4 cup water, and 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap. You may also add in your preferred essential oil to provide a hint of your favorite scent as well as an increased level of antibacterial properties.
Step 4: Pour the mixture over the paper towels, allowing the liquid to completely saturate it. Proceed by removing the cardboard center and gently pulling a paper towel from the middle.
Step 5: Using a crafting needle, poke several holes in the plastic cover of the coffee canister so that you are able to use a pair of scissors to cut a hole about a half inch in diameter. Feed the paper towel through the hole, and place the lid on the canister.
You now have your very own DIY cleaning wipes that not only kill bacteria, but are all-natural, so you can use them without the worry of irritating your skin or harming the environment.
HOUSTON – (June 5, 2020) – Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine are recommending that all COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU undergo a thromboelastography (TEG) to test for the risk of forming blood clots. This recommendation comes after they found that more than half of the patients tested under these same conditions developed clinically significant blood clots that went undetected using routine screenings.
The findings appear in in the latest edition of JAMA Network Open.
“As the surgical critical care team at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center was discussing their work in the ICU a few weeks ago, I was amazed to hear them express that one of their greatest challenges was that the central intravenous and arterial lines and the dialysis catheters kept unexpectedly clotting in COVID-19 patients in the ICU,” said Dr. Todd Rosengart, chair and professor of the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery at Baylor and senior author of the paper. “I’d never seen or heard anything like this in my 30 years as a surgeon, even in our sickest patients.”
This prompted Rosengart and colleagues to look at what types of tests could be performed to identify these otherwise undetected blood clots.
Researchers observed 21 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection admitted to the Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center ICU between March 15 and April 9. They found that the standard clotting profile or screening of the patients was fairly normal. They were then moved to the next level of more specific clotting tests, which included analyzing a patient’s fibrinogen and D dimer levels. Fibrinogen is the protein that makes up the clot and D dimer levels are used to indicate the rate at which a patient’s clots are being broken down, which would usually suggest that the body is “chewing up” all of the clotting factors.
For the COVID-19 patients in the ICU, researchers found that the levels of fibrinogen were more than three times the normal range, indicating that the body was churning out this protein. Looking at these two results together, there was no clear indication that these patients were at increased risk for forming blood clots.
At this point, the researchers looked to a third tier of tests that is not a regularly used process in most ICU patients, the thromboelastography test. This test looks at how quickly a clot forms, its strength and stability. It is used mostly for open heart surgery patients who often have abnormal clot function and also is commonly used for trauma patients.
This test showed the researchers two things: the patients who they found were clotting their central intravenous and arterial lines and dialysis catheters had abnormally high clotting function compared to the patients who did not have clotting issues, and the clot breakdown function was significantly higher in the patients who were clotting less than others.
Among the 21 patients studied, 13 of them, or 62%, developed 46 blood clots that could only be detected through the TEG test.
For patients who are at a higher risk of blood clots as indicated by the TEG test, the researchers recommend administering additional blood thinners.
“The TEG test should be performed on all COVID-19 ICU patients immediately to find those who are at a higher risk of clotting,” Rosengart said. “At the point where physicians discover that their central line and catheter is clotting, the horse is out of the barn.”
The researchers are now looking at whether these undetected blood clots could be related to the unexplained deaths they are seeing in COVID-19 patients.
Others who participated in the research include Dr. Jared Robert Mortus, Dr. Stephen E. Manek, Dr. Lisa Suzanne Brubaker, Dr. Michele Loor, Dr. Miguel Angel Cruz and Dr. Barbara W. Trautner, all with Baylor College of Medicine.
Brubaker is supported by the NIH/NHLBI T32 HL139425; Trautner is supported in part by the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety (CIN 13-413) at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center; and Cruz is supported in part by the Center for Translational Research on Inflammatory Disease (CTRID), Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.
By Dr. Kevin Williams, the Chief Medical Officer for Rare Disease at Pfizer
The “Ask Dr. Kevin” series is brought to you by Pfizer Rare Disease in collaboration with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) to increase awareness and understanding of ATTR-CM, or transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, and the risk to African Americans.
As you may already know, heart disease is a leading cause of death for all Americans, but certain minority groups face a greater risk than others. In fact, according to one study, African Americans were 45 percent more likely to die as a result of heart failure-related hospitalization compared to Caucasian populations in the United States. With the disproportionate rates of heart failure, heart attacks, and other serious heart conditions in the African American community, it’s important to fully explore the underlying cause of these conditions with the help of a cardiologist.
As the “Ask Dr. Kevin” series enters its fourth year, I want to turn my focus to a rare, but very serious form of heart disease known as ATTR-CM. ATTR-CM is a life-threatening, underdiagnosed disease associated with heart failure, but many people have never heard of it or don’t know what it is. In this article, I’m going to explain more about ATTR-CM, and answer some of the most commonly asked questions in hopes it will help raise awareness of the condition and the misunderstood symptoms that often delay diagnosis.
Who is Affected By ATTR-CM?
There are two sub-types of ATTR-CM, wild-type and hereditary. Wild-type ATTR-CM is thought to be the most common form of ATTR-CM, is mostly associated with men over the age of 60 and is not caused by a mutation in a person’s genes. Most wild-type patients are white.
Hereditary ATTR-CM is inherited from a relative and is due to genetics, affecting both men and women. In the United States, the most common genetic mutation associated with hereditary ATTR-CM is found almost exclusively in people of African or Afro-Caribbean descent. Symptom onset can occur in people as early as their 50s or 60s; however, people who have the mutation may never develop symptoms of the disease.
What Are the Symptoms of ATTR-CM?
Since many patients and even some doctors are unfamiliar with ATTR-CM, the condition is highly underdiagnosed. Many people with ATTR-CM present with symptoms similar to those of more common causes of heart failure ─ such as fatigue, shortness of breath and swelling in the lower legs ─ or have symptoms that are not commonly perceived to be linked to a heart condition, like carpal tunnel syndrome (numbness, tingling, or pain in the fingers), bicep tendon rupture, gastrointestinal issues (constipation, diarrhea and nausea) and lumbar spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the open spaces in the lower spine). All of these factors can lead to delays in diagnosis or misdiagnosis.
If you’d like to learn more about hereditary ATTR-CM, including signs and symptoms, visit YourHeartsMessage.com.
*Dr. Kevin Williams is the Chief Medical Officer for Rare Disease at Pfizer. He pursued medicine after being inspired by his father’s work as a general practitioner in his hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Dr. Kevin is passionate about raising awareness and increasing understanding of ATTR-CM in the African American community. You can follow Pfizer on Facebook and Twitter.
People around the world have limited their social interactions for months to combat the spread of coronavirus. While some enjoy the downtime and avoiding social gatherings, others are yearning to spend time with friends, family and colleagues in-person. Whether you feel comfortable in a social setting or not, social interaction requires practice for all, and according to a Baylor College of Medicine expert, many people will struggle getting back to their regular social routine.
“For all of us, social interaction is a skill, and while some are naturally better at it than others, we can all get rusty. It’s comparable to what happens to the skill level of top athletes or musicians when they don’t practice,” said Dr. Jessica Rohr, assistant professor chair in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor.
Many are either naturally comfortable in social situations, or receive good instructions from their parents and friends throughout their childhood. Those who naturally thrive in social situations feel less anxiety around others, less distracted by their own fears, they don’t ruminate and are comfortable being spontaneous with unexpected situations.
“Some people are born with the skills and don’t need as much training. Some people are born without a high level of natural ability – but get good training growing up,” Rohr said.
Tips for extroverts
Rohr cautions people to not let their emotional urgency to reconnect with others overcome the health guidelines for what will keep everyone safest. Strive to maintain relationships without meeting in person. People can have virtual meetups without a purpose, just as you would while visiting with friends. Prop up your phone for a FaceTime or Zoom call while you eat dinner and converse the same way you would if you were face-to-face.
Even those who have a natural skill for social interactions may struggle with getting back on track socially after weeks of isolation. Rohr recommends practicing being mindful of their social interactions and allowing space for other people to speak and be engaged. It can be easy for more extroverted people to take over in social interactions, especially when they’ve been isolated and are yearning for contact with other people; however, it is as important for extroverted people to practice listening and leaving space for others as it is for introverted people to practice leaning in to conversations and working through anxiety so they can connect.
Tips for introverts
Some feel at peace with the quarantine and enjoy spending time at home, limiting social interactions. Many may feel both social anxiety and exhaustion in social situations. Even if the quiet time has been enjoyable, even preferable, social support is still very important. People who suffer from social anxiety want to avoid social interaction. When you avoid doing things that make you anxious, you feel that you made the right decision since you feel a sense of relief – but the more you avoid, the more anxiety increases.
“There are some things where you have to be willing to endure the anxiety or pain because they’re important for your life. Even when you’re being told to stay home and limit contact, it’s really important to make the effort to try to connect with people virtually or on the phone, so you’re not avoiding all social interactions,” Rohr said. “Set goals for who you’re talking to and try calling new people to get through that difficulty of talking on the phone. It’s something to be very purposeful and mindful of.”
As the social distancing orders lift in different parts of the country, it can feel overwhelming for this group of people to jump back into regular social situations, including going back to the office or meeting for dinner. Rohr recommends “coping ahead” in these situations. This means acknowledging that it will be difficult and anxiety-provoking ahead of time, so the nerves you feel are expected rather than surprising, which can lead to avoidance. She also recommends realizing that anxiety is normal when things are new, and to not let it convince you to avoid engaging. Only continued practice will reduce the anxiety.
Certain populations are suffering differently throughout this period of social isolation. For those who have more knowledge and comfort with technology, reaching out to those who are more introverted or less knowledgeable with technology is very important. Be clear and candid, and practice being open with others over video chats or the phone to maintain relationships.