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Mental health therapist offers advice on finding peace during 2nd wave of coronavirus closures

Dr. Armando Gonzalez talks about fatigue, need for human connection and how to survive mentally during this trying time.

SACRAMENTO, Calif — With many counties in Northern California rolling back reopenings as coronavirus cases continue to rise, people are feeling a level of anxiety and uncertainty they may have never experienced before.

ABC10 asked viewers on Facebook if they were worried about the new closures and hundreds weighed in. 

Olga Guzman said, "Mentally yes. My anxiety level is up and with 3 kids, I can't let it take over."

Shallamar McAfee said, "It's depressing. It's causing me anxiety I never had. I'm tired of seeing the masks and plexiglass, small businesses can't survive another shutdown but I'm guessing that's what the government is going for. Only the big guys survive."

Dr. Armando Gonzalez is a Licensed Mental Health Therapist and Expert. Dr. Gonzalez offered some tips on how we can all find peace, put our mental health first and give ourselves grace during this time of uncertainty. 

Q: What are we all experiencing right now? 

A: I think the word that comes to mind first and foremost is fatigue. For human beings that are driven by social connection, a sense of routine and normalcy, this is one of the more challenging circumstances we find ourselves in. human beings can handle a certain level of challenge but when it comes to being put in a scenario when we are isolated, or out of rhythm or we aren't able to reach out to our outlets including loved ones and connections that makes it particularly tough and we have been at this now for months.

What if you feel these emotions on a deeper level?

If you are struggling right now with anxiety and depression, if you are struggling in your relationship, you are not alone. That right now, collectively, as a nation, a city, a country and a world, we are all struggling and it's important to realize that we are in this together. We need to get outside the box here though. We can't connect the way we traditionally would. That doesn't mean we don't need each other. Now more than ever we need connection. Now more than ever, we need creativity in route to that connection. 

How can we rise up, cope and handle our stress? 

What's empowering is to step inside our day and say, what can I control? i like to tell clients to have bookends. What are you going to start your day with and what are you going to end your day with? The things that worked for you in the past are the things that will work for you now. A lot of times, when we get scared and stressed we want to pull in new things. We are looking for a magic pill, a magic solution. If you can, get yourself in a quiet space and review times in your life when you've been thriving. What was some of that secret formula? Those are the things you want to plug back into your day at the beginning, the middle, the end. Getting back to what once worked will allow you to thrive even in the midst of the chaos and the uncertainty.

Follow the conversation on Facebook with Madison Wade.

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