It is normal to feel anxious, says Patricia Blighe of the Connaught Counselling Centre…
With the rapid spread of the coronavirus, the potential for large numbers of people exposed and the impact it is already having on daily life, all this is contributing to particularly high anxiety in some people. It is most important therefore to keep the mind and body calm. So how do I stay calm? During these legitimately anxious times, it is good to develop a strategy for managing anxiety that works for you, such as practicing mindfulness, meditation and yoga, and any exercise regime that is important to you. So when feeling anxious, you might ask yourself what helps me to find value in life and to be of value to others? Exploring these ideas can help you be more psychologically resilient and guide you in these times of high anxiety.
Here I wish to share some background information as to why we feel stress – and give some tips on how to manage the worry of it all.
Why we feel anxious during these testing times…
Our brains evolved to monitor our environment for signs of danger. Over the past two weeks or so we have been flooded with frightening messages about the risks to us. This evokes a feeling of little or no control and leaves us feeling uneasy in our relationships towards self and the ones we care about – anxiety also affects our wellness and daily routines. The stress can push our anxiety system into ‘overdrive’, making it hard to focus on anything but the virus. Being preoccupied with other thoughts works in the short-term, but eventually we need to train ourselves to stay calm during this Covid-19 outbreak, which may well be around for quite some time to come according to the experts.
Steps you can take to put those feelings in perspective:
- Information is useful – but too much information can be unhelpful. Limit news intake to what is actually providing new information, and stick to reliable news sources. There is no benefit to watching the same news repeatedly.
- Take the necessary and recommended precautions, but do not try to ‘innovate’ new ones. As with all dangers, the trick is to be ‘careful enough’. When we try to ensure 100% safety, we can often get caught up in unhelpful behaviours.
- Keep up daily routines, and make changes only when necessary. Maintaining regular routines is a good way to keep anxiety at bay and feel normal. Even if some changes need to be made, maintaining the overall routine is helpful.
- Don’t completely isolate yourself from other people. Fear of contagion can cause some people to withdraw socially, but maintaining relationships and social support are good ways to combat anxiety. Even if you are in self-quarantine or mandatory quarantine, keep up social interaction using FaceTime/Skype/WhatsApp, phone calls or text messages.
- Stay physically active – be outdoors if you can. Maintaining physical activity, keeping the recommended physical space apart (two metres, or 6 ft. for us of a certain vintage). Spending time in fresh air and nature can help to keep anxiety down.
- Limit screen time. Too much time on the phone or computer, on social media or websites can lead to less activity and more anxiety.
What would you say to someone who is feeling very anxious about the disease outbreak?
It is normal to feel concern. To help you to deal with this crisis that has come upon us so quickly, talk with friends…reaching out with your hearts via phone. Be physically active, breathe and relax, and focus on the things you need to get done. If anxiety is really getting to you, consider talking with a professional. For example, if you can’t sleep, or you can’t eat (or can’t stop eating), or you can’t concentrate on anything else because of fears of illness, you may want to get help from a knowledgeable provider. The IACP Irish Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists has a list of counsellors on their website.
Patricia Blighe is a Counsellor and Mindfulness Teacher based in the Connaught Counselling Centre, The Primary Care Building, Golf Links Rd., Roscommon.
