As a highly sensitive person, I feel a sense of overwhelm from all the news that’s coming out about the corona virus. Under normal circumstances, we are like human sponges that takes in everything around us. For me, I’m particularly upset about this situation because of basic fear, lack of being in control, and uncertainty of what’s going to happen in the future. Can any of you relate to this?

I’m old enough to have lived through difficult historic times. The assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert F. Kennedy.  Horrific events such as the Vietnam war and September 11, 2001 also comes to mind.  I was horrified to see these events unfold. It seemed like the world stood still. Like most people, I was glued to the news for days. It’s fine to want to know what’s going on, but it’s not helpful for highly sensitive people.  It’s very important to step away from your fear and think rationally, even if only for a moment, especially in the midst of a terrible situation. I remind myself that human beings are very resilient. Isn’t it comforting to know that we’ve gone through difficult times in the past and become stronger because of them?

I’m trying to put this situation in its proper perspective. This is an unknown virus that we’re learning more about on a daily basis. I have hope that as we learn, we’ll develop measures to prevent and develop vaccines that we’ll help us in the future. I’m taking preventive measures by listening to Dr. Anthony Faucci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases, who is constantly on all news outlets.

I also know that tragedies often bring out the very best in people. Mr. Rogers learned this at an early age from his mother and taught it to others. I always loved this quote from him:

“When I was a boy, and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

If I follow this wise advice and look for the helpers, I know that I’ll feel at least a little bit better. If I find that there’s something that I can do, large or small, to become one of the helpers, that good feeling will grow even more!

How do you cope with difficult times? I’m interested in any thoughts or comments that you have.

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