reflect on how COVID-19 has been a stressor in your life. In which ways has COVID-19 made your life more stressful? In which ways perhaps less stressful?

I’m studying and need help with a Psychology question to help me learn.No plagiplagiarism， This week is all about stress. For this week’s discussion board, please reflect on how COVID-19 has been a stressor in your life. In which ways has COVID-19 made your life more stressful? In which ways perhaps less stressful? What are your most successful coping strategies? What are some of the resources you have available that help you cope with this situation? Wrap it up with your best piece of advice on how to cope with the stress of COVID-19.As always, please write a short essay-type response to this prompt. Your response to this prompt has to be at least 50 words long to receive credit.Example: Classmate A’s post: COVID-19 has made my life more stressful because every time I go out to the store or run an errand, I am always concerned about people not wearing masks or social distancing. I also stress constantly about “what happens if I get the virus? and what if I infected my parents?”. For most of the lockdown, these are the thoughts that have run through my mind pretty much a large majority of my days. Because of this stressor, I started to feel like it was hard to breathe because I was not able to turn this stress off. I was very miserable during this time. Now, I am learning better ways to cope with the virus. The best way that I cope with my stress is by exercising because it allows me to forget about the negatives in the world and really focus on myself and my mental health. In addition, my family and friends have been a great resource for me during this time because I am able to confide in them and talk about the things that are bothering me. On the other hand, having virtual remote classes during the pandemic has made things a little less stressful because I have more time to get things done. My best piece of advice the help cope with the stress of COVID-19 would be to do something that makes you happy like taking a walk outside (wearing a mask of course) or meditating for 10 minutes a day. By taking care of yourself, it will truly make a difference.Classmate B’s post: Like many people, the pandemic has brought about a multitude of new stressors that I had not previously experienced in my life. Chief among these have been the overarching concern for the well-being of our country and worries about potentially infecting vulnerable family members. I remember in March and April worrying a good deal about getting sick myself and waking up every morning wondering if I was going to come down with a deadly infection. As we learned more about the virus over the following months, these concerns diminished significantly, not because I don’t fear getting the virus, but because I began to feel more able to control my exposure by limited time in public, wearing a mask, and social distancing. An interesting stressor that I would not have predicted, yet have experienced a good deal, is the awkwardness associated with social distancing. There have been many times in public where people have infringed on my space, and most of the time it is clear that they are doing this out of cluelessness rather than bad intent. It can get really awkward leaning away from people or interjecting and reminding them to keep a distance, but it is obviously important to do so. Also, certain stressors have decreased. I feel that the gravity of the pandemic and political situation in our country this past year has freed me from many aspects of my life that were not in alignment with my values. I chose to go back to school and invest in my education as a direct result of the pandemic. I also feel that I have strengthened relationships with my closest friends and family, and reduced the number of meaningless interactions. This is not to say that COVID hasn’t been extremely challenging, and I am incredibly eager for the country to get vaccinated so we can move past this. As for coping mechanisms, my most effective strategies have been doubling down on self-care and professional development. For self-care, I regularly practice meditation, exercise, and try to eat a balanced diet with lots of natural foods (mainly vegetables). Doing this, along with investing in my career has helped me build self-efficacy during this otherwise challenging time. I believe self-care is a highly individualized process. In terms of offering advice to others, my advice is always to start with an honest assessment of where one is at, and then to use that assessment to develop and implement the best strategy for them, while surrounding themselves with supportive people and conducive environments when possible.Classmate C’s post: The major stressor in my life that was brought about by Covid-19 is the fear of at-risk family members getting sick. Thankfully, none of my immediate family members would be in significant danger if they got the virus, but both of my grandmas and my grandpa would almost certainly struggle if they got sick. I am also especially stressed by the idea of me or my other family members giving them the virus. The guilt I would feel would be too much to handle. But overall, Covid-19 has made my life less stressful. Since school is online, I am saving some money (parking pass, gas, toll fees, etc.) I am also less stressed about school in general since it is online. I have much more time to devote to school work now that I don’t drive to school and wait around in between classes. It is much easier for me to get work done at home rather than at UCI in between classes because I have a better workspace and fewer distractions/things going on around me. Additionally, all of my professors have been extremely understanding of difficulties that could arise in the switch to online classes and personal things that people might be dealing with. This has helped me relax in my classes and retain more information, rather than trying to just finish assignments on time and then cram the night before exams. Some coping strategies that have been useful to me are spending time outside, finding or indulging in hobbies, and doing anything that you find relaxing. For example, I like to go on walks with my mom and dog when I’m taking a break from homework. It helps me to relax and it gives my mind a break. The best resource I have for coping with the pandemic is family. The best about the pandemic for me is that it brought my family closer together. My sisters and I never really spent that much time together before the quarantine. However, once stay at home orders were in place, we started to do a lot together, whether it was playing games, baking, or watching tv. So, in a way, I’m grateful for quarantine because my sisters and I became friends as a result of it. Another resource that has helped me stay calm during the pandemic is religion and going to church (virtually). My relationship with God has definitely grown stronger during the pandemic, and it has absolutely helped me remain hopeful about the future and joyful about the present. My best advice on how to deal with the stress of Covid-19 is just to not worry. That’s the best advice I can give– that’s how I go about things. Worrying won’t change circumstances, it will only make dealing with the circumstances harder for you. Keep working towards your goals and don’t let outside factors distract you.
Requirements: Discussion | 1 pages, Double spaced