Kidney Matters Issue 13 - Summer 2021

6
Jackie’s top tips for navigating
troubled times
For more than a year now, we’ve had to get used to a new way of living. The impact of
this change in everything we considered ‘normal’, combined with a daily diet of grim
statistics across all media outlets, is bound to affect our mental wellbeing. Jackie is a
professional counsellor with many years’ experience helping people with chronic health
conditions cope with emotional overload.
What do you focus on?
This an important question because what we focus on
directly affects whether we are anxious or calm in any
given situation.
Who would have thought when we first heard that
there was ‘some sort of virus’ in another part of the
world that our lives would be affected so greatly?
People’s reactions to Covid-19 varies widely. Some
people are constantly worried, fearful, and struggling
with low mood. The feeling of a lack of control can
be a downward spiral that can lead from anxiety to
depression. However, there are others who appear to be
facing similar obstacles yet seem to be taking everything
in their stride. They just don’t seem to get het up about
things. Have you ever wondered why this is? It can all be
down to what you allow yourself to focus on.
Not all heroes wear capes
To say it’s been a difficult, frightening and tragic year
would be the understatement of the century. We
have all been tested to our limit, felt isolated at times
and witnessed scenes we never imagined we’d see in
peace-time.
Where is your focus? When we become too focussed
on the things that we cannot control it raises our level
of anxiety. We recognise things that we cannot control
as uncertain. Our minds struggle with this, causing us
to feel unsafe. Human beings like certainty and if we
feel unsafe, we become stressed. Therefore, if you are
continually focussing on things that are uncertain in
life, and that you cannot control, you will experience
fear and anxiety.
“Do not let what is out of your
control interfere with all the things
that you can control in your life“
As we all begin to emerge from the darkness of
Covid-19 into a brighter place, we know you will join
everyone here at Kidney Care UK in saying a heartfelt,
huge THANKYOU to every single person in our
amazing NHS who put their own lives at risk to look
after us and our loved ones. You are our best heroes!
“We know you will join everyone here
at Kidney Care UK in saying a heart-
felt, huge THANKYOU to every single
person in our amazing NHS.“
www.kidneycareuk.org