This pandemic certainly has disrupted life for all of us; and life is changing globally, personally and everything in between. The CDC and other authorities offer measures to help us all prepare and cope. Amidst all the reaction, we want to be thinking how we can help each other and not just fall to fear, panic, over-reaction or allowing anxiety to overtake and destroy us.
I offer the words and wisdom of Dr. Karen Ruskin, a well-known Psychotherapist and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, who was recently interviewed by Fox News about the anxiety and uncertainties we all face. She provided advice on this current crisis and shared wisdom to face future dilemmas.
In that interview Dr. Ruskin said, “Think with our logic minds, not our anxiety minds…There is helpful and not helpful anxiety. Instead face with logic; it’s adjustment time. We take action. With “anxiety-mind” we freeze…What we feel is what will grow…How to survive and thrive mentally versus a victim mentality…Don’t underestimate your ability to cope, that energizes us and we feel we are survivors and we are in-control versus out-of-control. Feeling out-of-control leads us to anxiety. It’s not that those fears are wrong or bad. You can have fear. It’s how to control it; balance those fears with actual stress so that you get through it. This is a healthy way.”
Dr. Rushkin goes on to discuss “social distancing” and what we are experiencing with global, local and with personal events, “Right now, you see it all around us-social distancing. We are disconnecting. We are isolating; we are distancing ourselves… Make connection wisely. You don’t have to quarantine yourself on everything but can be involved in events or circumstances.”
Dr. Ruskin goes on to describe “the Worry Wall” as an “escalation of fear…where you exacerbate or escalate higher and higher so you can’t see over it.” She explains that it is key to, “Reassure yourself and your family, your friends and your loved ones. We are all going to get through this. Thant’s the key… We are survivors.”
I’m not advocating not having a large Pesach gathering. Cherie decided wisely, for us. Whatever your decisions, let them be guided by reason. May next year we be able to share this simcha again with many others.
Chag Sameach!
John Fasbinder
Lenexa, Kansas
Dr. Ruskin offered the aforementioned quoted words in a Fox News interview in March 2020. She has published multiple books and provides counselling for relational and mental health. For more information: www.drkarenruskin.com. Facebook: www.facebook.com/drkarenruskin, Twitter: @DrKarenRuskin.
