Like your softest, most comfortable shirt …

We’ve had the rug pulled out from under our feet. Within one week in March, everything suddenly changed leaving us afraid and upset. Three weeks ago we reached a breaking point around police brutality against Black people. Millions of people are educating themselves, and are on the streets, making their voices heard.

Our old lifestyle is gone. Some of us know people who have been sick with Covid, know people who have died, and we may be one of the millions of people who are struggling financially. All of us feel the impact of the pandemic. What will the new normal look like?

Our nervous systems are struggling to stay regulated. We practice breathing and relaxation exercises, get outdoors for exercise, and connect with friends and family on Zoom, yet our bodies are contracted and tight, and many of us still aren’t sleeping well.

Impulses arise driven by our primitive brain’s need for safety. Our systems are stressed and we are looking for ways to feel better. It is human nature to comfort ourselves and there is a strong pull back to what worked for us in the past. What’s the harm in a few drinks after a hard day? Ice cream and a Netflix series on the weekend? We need a break from fear and distress and we turn to the familiar.