Jodi Taub

When it comes to managing stress and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic, it's important to identify which coping skills work well for you. If you'd like to explore new ways to manage difficult emotions, this list is a useful starting point. 1. Connect to friends and family. 2. Maintain daily routines similar to your pre-COVID lives. 3. Make sure you have some movement throughout the day. ... 4. Journal to vent and/or actively distinguish irrational vs. rational thinking. 5. Utilize mindfulness or meditation skills. 6. Use a joyful distraction like listening to music, watching a movie, etc. 7. Join an online community. 8. Get a change of scenery at home or head outside. 9. Monitor social media usage and step away when needed. 10. Make short or long term plans with flexibility that both can be cancelled. See more

We would not shame someone for managing their diabetes with insulin, or their cancer with chemotherapy. Yet when it comes to mental health, stigma around therapy and psychotropic medication remains. We must continue to support, educate, and advocate for appropriate and clinical management of mental health. #mentalhealth #therapy #stopthestigma #mentalhealthawareness #cbt #cbttherapist #anxiety #motivation #inspiration #mentalhealthmatters #ocd #bipolardisorder #majordepressivedisorder #anxietydisorder #adhd #depression

April has long been dedicated as Autism Awareness month and today, April 2nd, is World Autism Day. Most people expect to see a puzzle piece on an Autism Awareness post. However, this year, shift your focus beyond Autism Awareness and commit to Autism Acceptance. As you shift your focus to acceptance, you’re encouraged to learn about this ‘new’ symbol for Autism Acceptance and develop an understanding about why this change is meaningful to the autistic community. #AutismAwareness #AutismAcceptance #AutismAwarenessMonth #AutismAcceptanceMonth #WorldAutismDay #Neurodiversity

April is Primary Immunodeficiency (PI) Awareness Month. There are over 400 types of PI which are rare, innate, chronic illnesses in which part of the immune system is missing and/or is is not functioning properly. Patients with PI are prone to severe infections which are also often persistent, recurrent, and/or unusual. The clinical presentation of PI is often misdiagnosed and the average time of diagnosis, from onset of severe symptoms, to appropriate testing and accurate d...iagnosis, is over a decade. There is an old adage taught in medical school, When you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras, meaning that a patient’s symptoms are usually the most obvious and common diagnosis. As described above, PI patients often experience unusual clinical presentations. For this reason, PI patients are the zebras of the medical community and PI awareness colors are zebra stripes. This April, #ShowYourStripes for PI Awareness. #PrimaryImmunodeficiency #PrimaryImmunodeficiencyAwareness #PrimaryImmunodeficiencyAwarenessMonth #PI #PIAwareness #PIAwarenessMonth #ZebrasOfTheMedicalCommunity #ZebraStrong #ShowYourStripes

In my latest blog post, I discuss the reasons why young adults have significantly suffered from COVID-19 associated emotional distress. 1. Lifecycle events help form long-term positive memories during developmentally significant times. There is no other time period when peer connection is more influential. 2. Some young people may feel like they are "missing out if their college or university has only virtual learning. Incoming college freshmen without prior on campus exposu...re may feel more isolated than older students. High school seniors may feel as if they are missing out on their idyllic last year. These pandemic experiences can leave young people feeling disconnected from close friends and peers. 3. Young adults tend to be more prone to heightened emotions because of brain development, which can predispose them to risky behavior seeking and mental health symptoms. How can you help? Reach out to young adults and check in. Ask specific questions, and work together to help them better connect with peers. Read more at the link below.

Check out the recent webinar for the Immune Deficiency Foundation, "Managing Stress and Isolation During the Ongoing Pandemic: An IDF Forum." I share helpful coping skills and strategies, tips on managing negative thoughts, mental health resources, and much more. Watch the recording on YouTube https://buff.ly/3lRG8id or visit the IDF website https://bit.ly/3rmT5S3. Please note that the presentation begins at the 10-minute mark. ... #idfcommunity #PrimaryImmunodeficiency #immunocompromised #livingwithpi #mentalhealthawareness #chronicillness #cbttherapist #covid19 #poweredbyplasma #zebrastories #pidd #cvid #butyoudontlooksick