Coronavirus: Effects on Anxious People

Coronavirus: Effects on Anxious People

***The information available on the Coronavirus/COVID-19 is changing rapidly. Please note that the following blog was written early on in the pandemic.

Anxiety and the Coronavirus

So, you’re already feeling on edge, overwhelmed, trying to think straight. You’re already attempting to get through your day as it is, and now on top of that, your mind is racing with the idea of the Coronavirus and what you need to do.

It’s no surprise that even the very idea of the Coronavirus makes your anxiety level skyrocket, given that you already struggle with trying to cope with your own anxiety every. single. day. Now, it’s just one more thing to have to worry about. One more thing that is taking up space in your mind——Your mind that’s already overthinking, stressing out, and racing.

For those of you who struggle with an anxiety disorder, the constant barrage of Coronavirus information being thrown at you is enough to make even the most relaxed person feel uptight. It can make those of you who are plagued with the constant doubt and “what if’s”, drive you up the wall with fear of what to do.

So, those of you who are trying desperately to manage your anxiety symptoms on a “typical” day, are now attempting to deal with more sh*t and not knowing how much more you can take without cracking. These are some ideas to help you get through this exceptionally hard time.

5 Tips to Help You Cope with Your Anxiety

1. Limit the amount of time you watch TV, spend on social media, or reading up on or discussing the Coronavirus.

   That means, don’t fall down the rabbit hole… Just like, when you have a headache, don’t go directly to a medical site for advice. You’ll end up thinking you have some sort of brain cancer or something.

   It doesn’t mean to ignore something, it simply means, don’t jump to conclusions without looking at the facts.

2. Speaking of facts, try to stick to them when feeling overwhelmed with panic associated with the Coronavirus.

   This can be a challenge specifically when everywhere you look, there’s a vast amount of “facts” about it. When there’s information overload that’s difficult to avoid, take a moment to evaluate just how factual it really is and if it really applies to you. Obviously, no one wants to get sick.

   Just use your common sense.

3. Don’t jump to conclusions.

   Again, when your brain is an anxious brain, jumping to conclusions can be oh so difficult, even for those who don’t have an anxiety disorder. Just because there’s a new virus, doesn’t mean that you’ll get it. Just because you may contract the virus, doesn’t mean there’ll be dire consequences.

   Give yourself a reality check.

4. Don’t make panic-driven decisions.

   It goes without saying that making decisions when panicking is not the best thing to do. When delivered in such an urgent way, your anxious brain can make it seem like you need to panic right now. The way this has played out lately has been to run to the grocery store and buy out all the hand sanitizer, masks, toilet paper, and whatever you can get your hands on.

   This is not helpful on so many levels.

5. Continue to enjoy your life.

   When something disrupts lives as this Coronavirus has done for so many of you, it’s so important to continue to enjoy and participate in your own life. That means you’re using common sense, keep those plans to go to that concert, take your vacation, or do whatever fun thing you had planned to do. It means that life doesn’t remain stagnant and does move on despite whatever is going on around us.

   Anxiety already can rob you of your peace of mind and disrupt living your life. Do not allow it to steal this from you.

Your Anxiety Therapist in Philadelphia

I provide DBT therapy in Philadelphia, Lebanon, Lancaster, and Harrisburg, PA. My specialties include using DBT to help people suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder, anxiety counseling, and therapy for trauma.

Anxiety lives on fear, worry, and stress. It is possible to learn to live without your anxious brain taking over. If you’d like to learn how to manage anxiety, cope with panic, and get your life back, give me a call at 717-685-5074 or go here to schedule your free, 15-minute, video consultation.