"Hi, Oscar members. It's Charlotte Elkin, licensed clinical social worker.
On top of the pandemic, we continue to see acts of police brutality towards Black and Brown communities in this country. In addition, there's an increase in violence towards Asian and Pacific Islander communities (opens in new tab). There's also been an uptick in mass shootings.
With all of this, you may be feeling an increased sense of alertness or hypervigilance in your body. Know that this is your body's natural way of protecting you against danger in order to cope with it all.
We'd like to emphasize the importance of settling your body and grounding yourself and we'll offer techniques and some context to help you do that.
What is hypervigilance?
Hypervigilance is an increased state of alertness. If you're in this state, you're extremely sensitive to your surroundings and it can make you feel like you're alert to any hidden danger from people or from your environment.
Hypervigilance is also sometimes a symptom of a mental health condition like anxiety disorders or post-traumatic stress (PTSD). In the case of PTSD, symptoms may include:
Reoccurring, distressing and unwanted thoughts about the traumatic incident
A tendency to avoid people, places, and activities that remind you of that trauma
Hopelessness about the future
Changes in physical and emotional reactions
If you or a loved one happened to experience anything like this, it's important to seek medical or mental health attention from a professional.
What can we do about hypervigilance?
Some longer term solutions include therapy and sometimes even medication management.
Other strategies for coping include, when triggered:
Pause before reacting and take slow, intentional breaths
Make an effort to settle your body by grounding it and letting go, almost like you're giving yourself over to the chair that you're sitting in or the floor that you're standing on
Work towards identifying the difference between fact and story — ask yourself, "is what's happening right now actually happening or is it a story that I'm telling myself?"
Acknowledge any fears or strong emotions as real and resist the urge to numb them or to fix them immediately, instead allow them to ebb and flow until they disappear
Know that these are normal reactions to this abnormal situation
Set boundaries and surround yourself with the support of others
Above all, remind yourself that you're doing the best that you can right now with the resources and information that you have.
I hope that these tips were helpful. And until we meet again, be well."
Updated May 11th, 2021
* In 2021, Oscar Virtual Primary Care will only be available to Oscar members on individual & family plans in Miami, FL, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Palm Beach, FL, Houston, TX, Dallas, TX, Austin, TX, Denver, CO, and New York, NY, pending regulatory approval. Oscar's Virtual Primary Care offerings are only available for members ages 18 and over. Prescriptions, visits and services may be limited per provider discretion. Virtual Primary Care is not available in CA.
This content does not constitute medical advice and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, including diagnosis or treatment. Contact your physician with any questions you may have regarding COVID-19 or your personal health. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, dial 911 for immediate assistance.
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