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Tips and tools to combat anxiety about the coronavirus.  

As the number of people affected by the coronavirus expands, there is an undercurrent of anxiety creeping up throughout society.  What if I get it?  What if my child gets it?  What can we do to prevent it from happening?  If you feel your own anxiety getting heightened and your thoughts starting to spiral to all of the “what ifs”, follow some of these tips to help manage that growing anxiety.

 

First off, it is natural to feel some anxiety when we are flooded day in and day out with news, social media posts, and other communication about the growing threat of the coronavirus.  Some school districts have cancelled school for the time being until the spread of this illness diminishes.  We are told to avoid crowds and to begin “social distancing”.  Toilet paper is disappearing from store shelves.  Many of us are left with a feeling of helplessness and worry about impending doom. 

 

When you feel that your anxiety is growing, the first thing to do is reflect at what the root of that anxiety is

Believe it or not, but the root of most anxiety is the worry that “I won’t be able to handle it”.  So, if you’re worried that your child could get the coronavirus, reflect on whether your fear is really, “I won’t be able to handle if my child gets really ill.”  If you’re worried that we will all have to go into quarantine, reflect if the worry truly is, “I won’t be able to handle being stuck in my house for days or weeks on end.”  Whatever your specific worry is, try replacing the language around it to read, “I worry I won’t be able to handle ______”. 

 

By changing the way that we speak about our anxiety, we can begin to look at it more rationally.  Anxiety is a strong emotion that tends to amplify our fight or flight response.  Therefore, it can diminish our ability to think rationally.  If we can take a step back from our anxiety and put on our rational hats, we can reflect that the root cause of our anxiety is feeling like we won’t be able to handle things. 

 

To combat anxiety, try thinking of other times in your life when you have faced large, unexpected challenges.  Consider how you did manage to handle it.  If your child has ever had the stomach flu, you likely initially felt a great deal of anxiety in not knowing how you would make it through it.  But you did make it through it.  You rallied.  You found a way to cope with the worries and be there for your child.  You did all the laundry, fed them saltine crackers and ginger ale until they were feeling better.  You ordered grocery delivery or asked friends to pick up your other kids from school so you could tend to your sick child.  You persevered and figured it out. 

 

One of the best ways to balance fears and anxieties is to think about what you can do.  Remember what you have already conquered in your life before.  Remind yourself that you are an intelligent, competent adult who can be resourceful when facing unchartered territory.  You can use your network of family and friends for support and guidance. 

Even if society were to face a larger quarantine, we now live in a day and age where electronic communication allows us to connect with our network in ways that were never possible a few decades ago.  Utilize your social media as a way to stay connected to friends you may not be able to see as often.  But also, be mindful of avoiding social media posts geared at instigating fear and hysteria. 

 

Focus on what you do have today

If you are healthy today, give thanks for that, and focus on taking things day by day.  When we think too far into the future, our anxiety can get away from us quickly.  Instead, pull your focus back to the here and now.  Remind yourself that today, your family is healthy.  Gently reflect on how you have food, clothing, shelter, and the basic things you need to cope with whatever lies ahead. 

 

If you are still finding your anxiety is unmanageable, talking with a therapist can be one of the best ways to help get your anxiety under control.  Wellspring Women’s Counseling offers online counseling, meaning you can connect with a therapist whether you are home-bound or not, whenever and wherever it is convenient to you.  By partnering with you where you are, therapy can help you learn better ways to cope and feel more balance in your life. 

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Jacqueline Getchius, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor

The fastest way to reach me is via telephone, but if you’d like to send a note, I will respond within one business day (Monday thru Thursday). Electronic communication cannot be guaranteed confidential and I cannot respond to emergencies over email. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or visit the nearest hospital.

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