How To Manage Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic
If you’ve noticed that you are experiencing a roller-coaster of emotions these past few months, you are not alone. With fears of contagion, shelter-in-place orders, lay-offs/income loss, and a lack of school and childcare, many are feeling overwhelmed and having difficulty managing day-to-day life. The life that we took for granted just months ago is completely turned upside down, and many of our ‘go tos’ for handling stress are no longer available to us.
Perhaps the most universally felt emotion during this time is anxiety, which is rooted in fear. Fear serves a very important function for us in times of upheaval and uncertainty. When we are afraid, our mind and body quickly prepare for action: our heartbeat increases (readying for flight), blood flows to our extremities (preparing us to fight or flee), and our mind clears of other distractions, hyper-focusing on this particular danger and how to overcome it. Our brain releases hormones to help us tackle our perceived danger, most notably Cortisol.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, our fear response is helping us to do very important things: cleaning and disinfecting, being aware of our surroundings (social distancing), protecting those we love and care about, and planning for the future.
The problem is that after time this continued fear and response cycle begins to wear on us, creating anxiety that can be chronic and interfere with other parts of our lives. Maybe you already suffered from anxiety and this pandemic is just one more notch on your anxiety belt, or maybe these feelings are relatively new to you. No matter what your previous emotional state, the best time to address this is now, before it begins to take a serious toll on your health and well-being.
There are several strategies that you can undertake now, to manage stress and reduce the effects of chronic fear and anxiety
Give your emotions a check-in everyday
If there is one thing our emotions do not like, it’s being ignored. When ignored or supressed, worry turns to anxiety, irritation turns to anger, negative thinking turns to depression. To help these emotions get their much needed validation before they fester and grow, do a daily emotional check-in. Do this when you are alone and without distraction ideally mid-day or before bed.
Ask yourself: How is my day going so far? What emotions have I felt? Did anything happen right before I began experiencing this emotion? Is this an emotion that I feel often, or is it new to me?
2. Make time to worry each day
This may sound counter-intuitive, but the key is to schedule a time to get your worries out each day, and try to avoid worrying the rest of the day and night. Pick a consistent time each day (let’s say, 4-4:20 pm). Go to a private space during this time, and allow yourself to list all of your worries in your head (or better yet, jot them down). When worries pop up at other times of the day, tell them to wait until worry time. This exercise allows you to give your worries the validation they need, without letting them take over your life.
3. Make a list of the things that you enjoy, then do them each day
Is it a bath? A run outside? Cooking a new recipe? Taking a walk and appreciating nature? Write them down. Most activities that are not possible due to the pandemic have an alternative (such as trying new takeout instead of visiting a restaurant). Once you have prepared your list, divide it into ‘active’ and ‘relaxing’ activities. For example, running, gardening and even cooking are active, while a bath or reading a book are relaxing. Keep the list somewhere visible, and make sure to do at least one active and one relaxing activity every single day.
4. Stay positive
You may have started to notice that there are some bright spots in this whole situation. Think of how many pressures that you face when you actually have to leave the house: getting ready for the day, planning your meals, commuting, taking children to and from school and activities, running countless errands, performing perfectly at work and school. For now, many of these pressures are put on hold, and the bar has been brought down significantly. Embrace this. It will not last forever. Take time every day to appreciate the slow pace, the increased time with ourselves and family, and the complete obliteration of pressures to look good, be liked by everyone, constantly say ‘yes,’ be involved in everything, and move forward in our careers.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on us all. Be proactive, and get external help if needed. Most therapists offer video or telephone sessions, and most insurance companies have elected to cover telehealth mental health during this time. Utilize your support network and internal resources, and if you need extra help, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional.