The Women in Science (WiS) group within the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging was created to generate thoughtful conversation about disparities in STEM related to gender & gender identity, culture, race, sexual orientation.
The group recently hosted a webinar called “Mental Health from PIs to Mentees” to discuss the importance of mental health and self-care during this challenging time and provide tools and resources to help us get through it. The webinar was hosted by WiS committee member Edmarie Guzmán-Vélez, PhD, a researcher in the Mass General Multicultural Alzheimer’s Prevention Program.
Guest speakers included Louisa Sylvia, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School and Associate Director of Dauten the Family Center for Bipolar Treatment Innovation, and Margaret Moore, MBA, co-founder and chair of the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital and faculty member at the Harvard Extension School.
Moore detailed how the pandemic has affected us all to different degrees and how we can manage our emotions and stress, while Dr. Sylvia shared strategies to set ourselves up for success as the pandemic continues. Here’s what we learned.
The Traumatic Impact of the Pandemic
“We are living in a time of very high emotional arousal and low well-being,” Moore explains. A recent survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 40% of respondents are struggling with at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition, such as anxiety, depression or symptoms of a trauma- and/or stress-related disorder.
In their book entitled Posttraumatic Growth, Richard Tedeschi, PhD, and Lawrence Calhoun, PhD, define trauma as “a life-altering event that is psychologically seismic,” says Moore. According to Tedeschi and Calhoun, traumatic events can shake a person’s core beliefs about the future, raise questions about the best way to move forward and can lead to feelings of anxiety and pain.
“We are all going through something traumatic,” Moore explains., “[The pandemic] is rocking us to our core. While some of us may have more severe experiences than others, we are all walking through a life changing experience together.”
“During this time it’s important to be compassionate with ourselves, to be accepting of our emotions, to get emotional support and to take care of ourselves,” she adds.
Although it can often be difficult to see the silver linings, cultivating the positivity amid times of stress and grief can be a worthwhile learning experience long-term, Moore explains.
In a study evaluating happiness and life satisfaction by Conway et al., researchers found that resilience—the ability to bounce back after experiencing hard times—had the strongest positive impact, and that the biggest contributor to resilience was experiencing in-the-moment positive emotions.
“It’s the ability to summon the positive in the face of the negative that allows you to be resilient, which allows you to be satisfied with your life,” says Moore.
Tips for Well-Being in the Time of COVID
In her work at the Dauten Family Center for Bipolar Treatment Innovation, Dr. Sylvia specializes in helping her patients maintain a healthy lifestyle as a complement to their mental health treatment.
1.
Nutrition
One area of importance is nutrition, “which is not only important for your mental health, but also your physical health,” says Sylvia.
Taking up cooking at home is a way to turn a stressful time into an opportunity to try something new. Establishing healthier eating habits can be helpful for your mental and physical health, but one thing to remember when it comes to dieting is that moderation may be the best way to achieve long-term success.
“Every single diet suggests honing in on certain foods [to eliminate], and research shows that may be why diets don’t often work,” Sylvia explains. “People cut out their favorite foods and they find that they can’t keep that change for the long haul. Any change that you make to improve your nutrition, make it one you can sustain over the long haul.”
2.
Movement
While it may be difficult to find dedicated time for exercise, moving even one or two minutes more each day can make a difference, Sylvia explains. Standing up and walking more are small things we can do to stay moving while we all adjust to remote work. “That’s why Fitbits and other devices that count your steps all highlight the idea to just get moving.”
3.
Mindfulness and Mental Imagery
In today’s busy world, many of us have been taught that multitasking is a prized skill, but research shows it may not be as healthy or productive as advertised.
Multitasking isn’t healthy for your sense of well-being, and it can impact productivity, says Sylvia. “If you’re trying to get five different things done at one time, research shows your ability to get those things done—and done well—actually goes down.”
Sylvia suggests practicing focusing on one thing at a time, which can be made easier with smartphone apps. “Meditation and guided imagery apps can help support you focusing your attention on one thing,” Sylvia explains. While a 20 minute meditation session may be ideal, even several five minute sessions can be beneficial.
4.
Sleep
Adequate sleep is essential for well-being, but there are many seemingly small things we do before bed that can negatively affect our sleep.
“We get into books, sports, video games etc., that impact our sleep, which is unfortunate because sometimes it is a way we unwind,” says Sylvia. She suggests being more thoughtful at night, such as adjusting your schedule to start unwinding earlier to avoid cutting into your sleep time.
Spending extensive amounts of time in bed without sleeping can also send mixed signals to your body. “Often times people will stay in bed for up to three or more hours not sleeping, and that is very problematic because you are teaching yourself the bed isn’t a place for sleeping,” Sylvia explains. This can also become an issue when lying in bed leads to ruminating and anxious thoughts.
If you’re in bed and struggling to sleep for more than 30 minutes, Sylvia advises getting out of bed and doing something to distract you for 20-30 minutes and repeating this cycle until you are tired enough to fall asleep.
5.
The Power of Thought
Thoughts impact what we do and how we feel, so if we are experiencing negative thoughts it can directly impact our state of mind and behaviors. “Thoughts are especially important because our behaviors are restricted right now,” she explains.
“We are trained to have a wonderful brain that thinks all the time, but the problem is that we often have thoughts that are not accurate at all.”
However, the bright side is we can control our thoughts, we just have to train ourselves to think of the evidence that contradicts our negative thoughts.
6.
Social Support
Most people often equate social support with emotional support, but there other forms of support that also be beneficial, such as belonging support and tangible support.
Practicing these forms of support may be difficult given the physical distancing recommendations during the pandemic, but belonging support (being a part of a community) and tangible support (helping others with errands/child pickup) can be very rewarding when done safely.
It is also critical to pay attention to the balance of the support you are giving and receiving. “You may be giving a lot of yourself to work, but it is really important that you have things that give back to you,” Sylvia explains. “This balance can change, so if you notice that you’re giving a lot of yourself one particular week, make sure to shift it around the following week.”
For more tips and resources, visit the website for the Mass General Center for Faculty Development.
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