BBC Radio Cornwall: Finding support during coronavirus
Talking with Tiffany Truscott on BBC Radio Cornwall, Malachy shares his thoughts on finding support in challenging times.
Here are Malachy’s top 5 suggestions:
Reach out to others, especially if you are alone or feel alone. Online counselling is a really effective form of support. I would really encourage people who are on their own to reach out. The more connected we remain the more supported we feel. Counselling for Social Change are offering free online sessions. Lifetime Therapy is also available to support those who are on their own or feeling vulnerable
Ask for help. When we ask someone for help, we're doing them a favour too. We’re giving them an opportunity to feel useful and be of service to other people.
Notice your anxiety. Anxiety is a feeling that we have that has protected us from danger for hundreds of thousands of years it kept us awake and vigilant in an environment full of threats. Your anxiety will never say everything is ok. It will always give you the worst possible outcome. What we can do is realise these are difficult times and tell our anxiety that we are aware and it can step down.
Practise Gratitude. Record three things a day that you feel grateful for and within a week you will begin to feel better. You can do this in a diary or via our Gratitude Practice on Facebook. When we begin to look around and find even the smallest things to be grateful for, we begin to counteract the anxiety. Practising gratitude is a really practical thing to do and can be an anchor in your day.
Connect with Nature. Even with just a windowsill, you can plant and cultivate something. Get outside, take a walk and this will really help with your mood. Find out more about everyday ecotherapy works here.
You can listen to the full interview here.
Enjoy! The interview starts at 2:20 👂