Since 2015, Central Outreach Wellness Center (COWC) has been dedicated to providing care to the LGBTQ+ community. We are here and will continue to support the community, including gender-affirming care, HIV treatment and prevention, and more.
Many people are questioning what this election means for their futures. This uncertainty can lead to increased anxiety and depression. Now more than ever, we need to be proactive about taking care of ourselves.
Self-care includes eating a well-balanced diet, exercising most days of the week, spending time with supportive people, mindfulness, and relaxation. Mindfulness means being present and focusing on the now. When you feel overwhelmed and worry about the future, focus on the now--the sensation of breathing, the feeling of your feet on the ground, and remind yourself you are safe at this moment. Recognize your emotions without judgment, try giving yourself a break. When we are mindful, we are not dwelling or avoiding emotions.
When thinking about the future, think about what actions you can take. This may include volunteering, donating, community building, or gender-affirming actions such as name and gender marker changes. We all have experience with our non-preferred candidate winning at some point and we have evidence that we can cope and how we did it.
Finally, be mindful of your actions online. It is very easy to “doomscroll” or spend a lot of time scrolling through news or other content that makes you anxious or depressed. A good way to combat this is to limit social media and access to news using filters and set boundaries on how many times you access media.
The world can be a scary place, but now more than ever, we need to look out for each other, hold on to each other, and take care of each other. But to look out for other people, you need to take care of yourself.
No matter what, we're here for you—providing the care, support, and services you need, whenever you need us.
If you’re a patient at our North Shore location, join our Mindfulness & Community Group for grounding, meditation, and emotional awareness. This group meets Wednesdays from 1 to 2 p.m. on the 2nd floor. Walk-ins are welcome.
