Take Control
MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH UPDATE
In these dog days of August, with coronavirus swirling around us like flies on a rib roast, it’s easy to feel hot, bothered, and out of control.
The news is grim, unrelenting, and saturated with headlines that can bring a simmering cauldron of anxiety to a rolling boil.
My advice? Turn the stove off.
And then remember what you CAN control. Remember what we DO know about the virus and how to contain it. Because there’s a lot of both.
No doubt about it: we have a LOT more to learn about coronavirus, from genetic susceptibility to its effects on our vascular, neurologic, and immune systems. But there’s SO MUCH we have learned already! Most importantly, we know how to prevent getting and sharing it. While surface transmission and aerosolization of the virus are indeed possible and can happen under unique circumstances, we know that coronavirus is largely transmitted by respiratory droplets—and that MASKS WORK to effectively block them. Check!
We also know that if you wear a mask AND layer additional mitigating factors like distancing, handwashing, and avoiding densely-populated indoor spaces (aka MOSH PIT), you are doing a BANG-UP JOB controlling the spread. Check check!
I’ll put it another way: most of my patients who’ve had or currently have COVID-19 got infected through NON-mysterious ways: from household transmission (where distancing is naturally difficult), by being at the hairdresser (up close for an extended period of time), or at a crowded party (even outside).
They have NOT gotten sick by touching the mail; from walking outdoors and briefly passing another pedestrian; from being indoors, six feet apart, masked, for less than 15 minutes; or even from being indoors, six feet apart, masked, for more than 15 minutes when both parties are playing by the rules in everyday life.
But COULD these types of scenarios cause COVID infection? Sure. Yeah. Weird stuff happens. It’s just really not that likely. (By the way, the media loves to report on the weird stuff—and turn the heat up on anxiety.)
In short, we know EXACTLY why the virus is surging! Doctors, scientists, and epidemiologists are NOT perplexed as to why the US is struggling so badly.
It’s not that the virus’s behavior has changed. HUMAN BEHAVIOR HAS.
And guess what? We can (at least try to) control our behavior.
Of course because of unavoidable workplace or home situations, not everyone has the ability to optimally mitigate risk. Our most vulnerable citizens are those living in crowded, poorly ventilated spaces where distancing, quarantining, and isolating simply aren’t always feasible.
But if you ARE able to mitigate risk by following MOSH PIT rules, you should be okay—really!
Long story short: We know what works; people just aren’t always doing it.
And I get it. We are worn out, pissed off, and fed up. But regardless of your mood du jour, know that you KNOW how to crush the virus; you just have to keep at it.
Another way to get back in the driver’s seat?
SEE YOUR DOCTOR. Getting control of your health—mentally and physically—is a concrete way to protect yourself and steer the ship away from the proverbial iceberg.
To make things efficient, here are the top five things I suggest you ask your doctor right now:
How can I best reduce my risk for getting sick from coronavirus? Now is a great time to identify and treat the underlying conditions we now know can increase people’s risk for COVID-19 complications.
What advice do you have for managing stress? Stress negatively impacts our whole health—from weight gain, cardiovascular issues, hormonal imbalances. So NOW is the time to gather/augment your specific stress management tools. There’s no one-size-fits-all advice here, so make yourself fully known to your doctor.
Where should I get my COVID-19 news and updates? Ask your doctor where he/she gets information—and what sources might help YOU the most. In this era of media/news/information overload, it’s important to figure out who you trust, limit unnecessary media exposure (social or otherwise), and create more brain space for calm and quiet.
Which screening tests should I go for now, and which ones can wait until we have a vaccine? For example, is it safer to get your overdue mammogram now or to wait until 2021? In other words, which is higher: your risk for COVID-19 or your risk for breast cancer? The same rubric applies when considering your colonoscopy, shingles shot, dental cleaning, and GYN visit—and EACH is an individualized decision.
What health goals should I work on over the next 6 months? Get a game plan! Add shape to your structureless health calendar! Why?
Because your health and wellbeing depend on it,
Everything you do to bolster your underlying health should help prevent COVID complications, and
You need something to focus on other than gloom and doom! Improving your health—with the structure, support, and cheerleading of your doctor—can give you needed benchmarks in a rudderless time.
In short, WE HAVE MORE CONTROL THAN WE THINK. Use it—NOT to sanitize your bottle of hand sanitizer or obsess about an attack of the killer aerosols—but rather to take a hard look at what you know and where you can do better. My plan tonight? Turn off the news and eat the rib roast—but cook it inside (no flies).
I will see you next week. Until then, be well.