Anxieties are typically future-based, in that we imagine things becoming worse in the future; often, things that have little chance of actually happening.
Normally, helping people focus on the here and now, and not the future, works well for anxiety reduction. However, with Coronavirus anxiety, helping people focus on a realistic but optimistic future—alongside limiting exposure to the news and media, and advising self-distraction—works best.
With the Coronavirus situation, people are naturally going to get caught up in imagining their worst fears for themselves, their friends and families, and society in general. The human mind is programmed to think about the future and imagine worst-case scenarios—we can’t help it.
It’s true that things are serious and feel uncertain, and therefore, feelings of stress and anxiety are a natural and normal response to the current situation. So how do we manage this naturally occurring collective anxiety? How can we help others manage their worries and concerns about the Coronavirus?
First, we have to manage our own stressful fears. When we talk with others, it’s important that we stay calm, because helpful reassurance reduces anxiety. Nonetheless, our reassurance needs to be realistic and truthful. We need to be genuine by acknowledging that this is a serious situation, but there are things we can remember and do that will help us manage our anxiety.
Reducing the frequency, duration and intensity
We all know how to make anxiety worse: Just keep thinking about your worries too often and for too long, and imagine worst-case scenarios over and over again. Find ways to feed your anxiety by not only thinking about your worries, but also talking and hearing about them all day long.
On the other hand, to reduce your anxiety, you’ll need to limit the frequency and duration at which you talk, listen to, read or watch anything about the virus. In your interactions with others, you can also ask yourself, “Am I fuelling Coronavirus anxiety?”
It’s OK to acknowledge your anxiety by saying, “I’m worried about all that’s going on.” It’s fine to feel worried and concerned, at least some of the time. We all do, but we can help ourselves and others by following the tips below.
4 important things to say to others
First, acknowledge the collective societal anxiety by saying, “This is a worrying time for all of us right now, but here are four facts that it’s important for us all to remember.”
- Throughout history, every pandemic has ended, and this one will, too. Pandemics aren’t permanent, and this one will also have a beginning, a middle and an end.
- Many people only show mild to moderate symptoms and recover at home.
- Most people—even the majority of vulnerable people—who get the virus will survive.
- Sooner or later, they’ll find a vaccine. Medical scientists are working on developing a vaccine right now, and it’ll eventually become available to the public.
Being presented with these four realistic facts will allow the anxious person to refocus or redirect their mind towards thinking about an optimistic or realistic future.
5 ways to manage or reduce your own anxiety
Limit the frequency of exposure
Don’t constantly listen to the news and look at social media. Decide what’s right for you—perhaps 30 minutes of catching up on the news, a couple of times a day, might be enough for anyone.
Don’t talk about it too much
Say to others, “I don’t find that talking about my worries all the time is helping. Can we talk about something else?” With family and friends, agree on times at which you can take a break from talking about the Coronavirus.
Set aside “worry time”
On a related note, set aside one to three periods of time each day, during which you and those close to you have permission to talk about the pandemic for around 20 to 30 minutes. Keep a worry list, so that when things come up for someone in the family, they can add it to the list of things to talk about during the agreed-upon “worry” times.
Distract yourself
Do things that’ll help distract you from thinking about the virus. These could be jobs that need doing around your home or activities you enjoy. Doing something that distracts you from thinking about the virus will typically help you reduce your anxiety.
Self-isolate—it’s the only vaccine
Right now, self-isolation is the only vaccine. If you haven’t got the virus, and you’re self-isolating, you can’t catch it. This will not only protect you, but it’ll also help our medical services and key workers who need us to stay at home and keep well.
Dr. Mike Larcombe is a Clinical Psychologist working in the U.K.
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