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41: Staying Sane During a Pandemic

Apr 21, 2020

Life during the pandemic can be tough, especially for those in health care. Troy talks about life as an ER doctor during COVID-19. Scot asks him about how he’s holding up, the strategies he uses to make it through the day, and about how to support a frontline worker in your life. They also discuss strategies to help all of us cope.

Episode Transcript

This content was originally created for audio. Some elements such as tone, sound effects, and music can be hard to translate to text. As such, the following is a summary of the episode and has been edited for clarity. For the full experience, we encourage you to subscribe and listen— it's more fun that way.

Compassion for the Frontline Workers

The COVID-19 pandemic has put most people in an unprecedented situation of stress. This is especially true for healthcare professionals working on the frontlines against the virus. For emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen, working in the ER during this time has been an emotional roller coaster.

Troy has been dealing with the stress of putting himself at risk for infection every time he goes to work. He shares his own experience of being a doctor during the pandemic and how he's been coping with the new normal.

If you have a friend or family member that is working on the front lines, Troy urges compassion and understanding during this time. Let them vent about their situation. Be kind to them and their needs. Be willing to forgive them during this time as they are dealing with a situation that is stressful and unlike anything they've ever dealt with before.

Coping with Pandemic Life

For those of us that are not health care workers, Troy and Scot discuss some of the strategies they're using to stay positive during this taxing time:

  • Be kind to yourself. Remember you don't need to be perfect right now.
  • Find a healthy coping mechanism that can help keep you manage your stress.
  • Schedule times in your day to unplug from the stresses of work and the 24-hour news cycle.
  • Take time to recognize and celebrate the good things that may be happening in your life.
  • Take stock of the things you can control in your daily life, and make decisions you can be proud of (how you act with your family, what you eat, etc.).

These past few weeks have been a struggle for everyone and not just physically but mentally as well. Be sure to take care of yourself.


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