How To Become Less Anxious During This Pandemic
Humanity is currently facing an unprecedented health issue, one that’s strong enough to dismantle the normalcy that people used to live through. As people struggle to make ends meet while being on quarantine, the whole uncertainty of the coronavirus situation can undoubtedly make anxieties worse.
COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mentally Challenging Global Event
Dealing with anxiety at home is already hard enough. It’s even more debilitating when you suddenly have to deal with a panic attack outside. Worse, onlookers may find it difficult to know the appropriate mental health intervention when you’re having a public crisis.
Although worrying is a form of survival mechanism, it can also lead to too much distress that can render people helpless. Hence, a healthy amount of worrying must be reached to ensure that your actions will be in your best interests.
To minimize the crippling complications of anxiety, it’s advisable to learn about various ways to clear your head, as getting professional help may be difficult at this time. Admittedly, this pandemic can get the best of you if you fail to prepare.
And, the unfortunate reality is that COVID-19 doesn’t seem like it’s going away anytime soon. Right now, all you can do is to keep your trips outside to a minimum and learn how to cope with this new reality. Here are seven ways to help you do just that:
Acknowledge What You’re Feeling
You are currently witnessing history as it happens. To deal with this properly, you first have to acknowledge all the stress and worries that you’re currently feeling. You have to let yourself feel them all, and accept that they’re a normal reaction to the ongoing pandemic.
Denying it or judging yourself for feeling bad will only make your anxiety worse. Remember that a pandemic is not normal, so you certainly don’t have to feel okay about it.
Find A Self-Soothing Mechanism That Works For You
Now that you’re in quarantine, many of your coping strategies for dealing with stress, like going to the gym, may be unavailable to you. This is the time to find a self-soothing mechanism that you can do at home or anywhere. Try out as many things as you can, and one of those will surely work for you.
Develop A Self-Care Routine
At this point, a routine can give you a semblance of normalcy, something that can help keep you grounded in the midst of uncertainty. Self-care routines can especially be powerful when you’re starting to obsess over thoughts that you can’t do anything about. Instead, shift your focus on what you’re actually doing than on the thoughts that are just harming you.
Stay Connected With Your Support System
While everybody needs to follow social distancing protocols, at least you don’t have to do it virtually. This is a time when people can benefit greatly from a stable support system, especially when all the anxieties from quarantine can make them feel isolated.
Keep in mind, however, that other people’s energies are infectious. Thus, make sure that you only keep in touch with those who won’t bring you further down during this very trying time.
Keep Yourself Updated In The Smartest Way Possible
Being in the know is important these days, but the problem is that some things in the media aren’t helping at all. If you’re not careful about the information that you consume, you’re going to end up being more stressed out and anxious.
Make sure that you choose what you read and watch wisely. Only listen to sources that have a proven track record of trustworthiness.
Limit Your Internet Access
With all the bad news that you’re bound to hear, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. If you’re constantly exposed to such information, it won’t be long until you find yourself breaking down. In such cases, it’s advisable to limit your Internet access to certain times during the day to avoid fueling your anxiety.
Plan Accordingly
Last, but not the least, make sure that you plan your day-to-day accordingly. Yes, the things you can do right now are severely limited, but having less choices doesn’t exactly make it easier to go about your daily life. If you act without a goal in mind, you might end up doing things that can compromise your safety.
Focus On The Things That You Can Control: Your Anxiety
Mentally speaking, COVID-19 will affect each person differently. However, one thing is clear: the world is going through a collective trauma that won’t easily be forgotten for years to come.
That said, anxiety among populations is expected to rise as uncertainty about the coronavirus pandemic grows. For now, what can really help you is to learn how to manage your anxiety. This will ensure that all your actions are done thoughtfully, even if you have fears about the future.
