The Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Little Rock
Stressed and anxious? Try these tips to find a place of calm
Many Catholics find pandemic stress translates into anxiety and even depression. Find constructive ways to deal with your emotional strain — and learn when you need more than self help — in these stories from Nov. 14, 2020.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Arkansas in March, Victoria Guillory felt as if she was holding her breath. With new information coming out daily, as medical experts learned more while trying to combat the voices of the uninformed, she felt “if I walk outside I’m basically going to get sick is basically what I thought at the beginning.”
“Physically, I kind of felt my heart beating a little bit, racing, all the thoughts start running through More... 
Though signs vary, there are indicators when a person has anxiety and/or depression. Catholic and clinical psychologist Dr. Sherry Simon said key indicators of clinical depression or anxiety can be:
Sleeping too much or too little
Overeating or not eating enough
Tendency to isolate, even beyond the safety requirements due to COVID-19; not reaching out to anyone.
Loss of pleasure in activities a person used to enjoy
Thoughts of hurting themself or others
“I’ve had people tell me ‘I’m probably not More...
Dr. Sherry Simon, a clinical psychologist in Little Rock and parishioner of Christ the King Church, shared tips to help combat general anxiety and depression:
• Acknowledge it exists: Simon said people should understand it’s “normal to feel stressed during this time” and repressing emotions can lead to health issues and other long-term problems.
• Develop a routine: setting a bedtime or waking up at the same time daily or eating lunch at a certain time. “It is More...
The stories of saints and Scripture verses can help an anxious heart. St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists, spoke about fear and anxiety several times, including “Let the world turn upside down, let everything be in darkness, in smoke, in uproar -- God is with us” and “Anxiety and fear do not provide solace for our pain but aggravate it, leading us to a kind of breakdown in courage and strength because it More...
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