Managing Anxiety in the COVID-19 Crisis

Anxiety is something normal in anyone without physical or mental health problems, and in fact, it is part of the psychological mechanisms that allow us to adapt to the day to day. Thanks to it, we normally react quickly by taking actions that allow us to avoid risks or dangers of some kind.

However, it is also true that anxiety is the raw material of some psychological problems that we can develop if the right circumstances are given. And in this sense, the coronavirus pandemic provides many of those elements necessary to make it easy for us to fall, involuntarily, in bad dynamics of anxiety management. Let's see why this happens and what we can do to overcome that problem.

• Related article: "Types of Anxiety Disorders and their characteristics"

Why the coronavirus crisis can give way to anxiety problems?

These are the elements that make the COVID-19 crisis an ideal context for the appearance of anxiety problems.

1. Cultural changes arising from the pandemic

The pandemic has given rise to several relatively new ideas and behavioral dynamics: the concept that masks are important, collective responsibility for an easily transmitted virus, etc. These changes have occurred quickly, and it can be hard for some people to adapt to them so as not to be left out of social consensus.

2. Social isolation

Due to contagion prevention measures and confinement or semi-confinement policies, movement limitation arises capable of distressing many people, especially to people who are more outgoing or whose way of life depends more on dealing face to face with other people.

3. Concern for one's own health and that of others

Obviously, the fear that their own physical integrity or that of others is in danger affects the mental health of people. many people: maintaining a constant state of alert to avoid getting infected or contagious can take its toll if it is not known manage.

4. The economic crisis unleashed

Beyond the health sector, the economy has also suffered, which It has led many people to fear for their sources of income or directly to feel stressed about the need to find a new job. There are also pressures to work more to compensate for losses, lack of customers due to the economic downturn in some sectors, etc.

5. The doomscrolling

Doomscrolling is the tendency to consume a large amount of negative or catastrophic news throughout the day, something that has been multiplied recently due to the pandemic and the ease with which we access new information due to the popularization of social media. This constant exposure to worrying or distressing content leads us to adopt a pessimistic mentality biased by the sensationalist or interested optics of a good part of this online content.

6. Painful memories associated with virus spread

All of the above can lead to very painful memories (or in extreme cases, even traumatic): loss of loved ones, hospitalizations, loss of a job, etc. That suffering can easily be evoked in a situation in which we have not yet fully emerged from the pandemic context..

How to manage this anxiety?

The best way to solve anxiety problems is to attend psychotherapy Psychologists are trained to offer therapeutic resources and programs of training in emotional regulation, so that the patient is able to reestablish her balance in relation to her habits, her way of experiencing the feelings, etc.

However, beyond psychological intervention by mental health professionals, there are also some strategies that you can adopt to enhance your well-being. Follow these tips to deal with excess anxiety in the best possible way and increase your chances of overcoming it in a short time.

1. Take advantage of the potential of the Internet to socialize

Video calls allow you to have a close relationship with those who are far away; do not miss out on this resource and continue cultivating your relationships with friends and / or family to feel the support of others.

2. Make sure you get enough sleep

Sleeping hours aren't wasted time, even if you feel like you need to work harder to offset the onslaught of the crisis. If you don't get enough sleep, you will have serious problems concentrating, you will perform less and you will be much more vulnerable to anxiety disorders.

3. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness will help you let go of the distressing ideas that come to your mind over and over again. Learn simple exercises that are about five minutes long and put them into practice every day.

• You may be interested in: "What is Mindfulness? The 7 answers to your questions "

4. Get moderate exercise

Exercise is an excellent resource to combat anxiety, especially if you opt for the aerobic, that is, long duration (at least 40 minutes) and without exerting much force.

You don't have to go to a crowded place to stay in shape; many exercises you can do at home.

5. Set short-term goals

Being clear about your objectives to address in the following hours or minutes will allow you to focusso your mind won't wander through all those stressful thoughts about what might happen or what you "should be doing."

Are you interested in having psychological assistance for anxiety problems?

If you are suffering from excess anxiety in your day to day, get in touch with our team of professionals. On Advance Psychologists You will have more than 20 years of experience at the service of your well-being; We work offering individualized psychotherapy, family and couples therapy, neuropsychology, psychiatry, speech therapy and coaching. You can find us in our center located in Madrid, and we also carry out online therapy by video call.

Bibliographic references:

• Kasper, S.; Boer, J.A. & Sitsen, J.M.A. (2003). Handbook of depression and anxiety (2nd ed.). New York: M. Dekker.
• Rynn, M.A.; Brawman-Mintzer, O. (2004). Generalized anxiety disorder: acute and chronic treatment. CNS Spectrums. 9 (10): pp. 716 - 723.
• Root, B.A. (2000). Understanding panic and other anxiety disorders. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.
• Stephan W.G.; Stephan, C.W. (1985). Intergroup Anxiety. Journal of Social Issues.
• Veeraraghavan, V. & Singh, S. (2002). Anxiety disorders: psychological assessment and treatment. New Delhi; Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• Sylvers, P.; Lilienfeld, S.O.; LaPrairie, J.L. (2011). Differences between trait fear and trait anxiety: implications for psychopathology. Clinical Psychology Review. 31 (1): pp. 122 - 137.