The COVID-19 pandemic may have had a silver lining, says a Coquitlam psychologist.
Denis Boyd says the public health crisis that shuttered people indoors for months at a time and created trepidation about mixing with large crowds was a big “wake-up call” to some of the everyday stresses to which we’d become complacent.
Boyd is the first presenter in Coquitlam Rotary’s new mental health speaker series that launches Oct. 29, 7 to 8:30 p.m., at Douglas College in Coquitlam. He will be speaking about the signs and causes of stress, as well as the kinds of tools that can be used effectively to manage it.
Boyd said the COVID-19 pandemic raised stress levels “a notch or five.”
He said the daily news reports of deaths and hardships brought people face-to-face with their mortality and often sparked a re-evaluation of life’s priorities.
Suddenly freed by employers to do their jobs from home, many people coped by finding a better balance between the demands of work and the opportunities of life. Cooped up, they went outdoors more to take a walk in the park, commune with their natural surroundings. They whittled their social circles down to those most important to them.
“It was sobering to have everything shut down,” Boyd said.
But as memories of those darkest days dim, old habits and routines are returning. Employers are demanding employees return to the office. Doom scrolling through social media feeds has become endemic, isolating.
Boyd said it’s important society doesn’t abandon the lessons learned through the pandemic.
“We have to always make sure we balance our work life with our personal life,” he said, adding it’s important we constantly cultivate our relationships with others.
“The most impactful thing we can do is improve our relationships, share our journeys with each other.”
Boyd said the realities of modern living, like residing in large condo developments where getting to know your neighbours can be difficult, and the temptations of social media and video gaming as proxies to real in-person interactions can present challenges for cultivating connections.
“Our conveniences have made us more isolated,” Boyd said, adding the anxiety that comes from such isolation exacts a toll as it builds.
“When you load up and reach your capacity of stress, you’re going to get sick.”
How to attend
Admission to Coquitlam Rotary’s mental health speaker series if free, but pre-registration is required.
The second event, on Nov. 26, will feature psychologist Tamara Williams talking about the use of modern neuroscience to help caregivers and children manage emotions together. Further speakers will be announced in the new year.
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