It’s normal to be worried and anxious during these exceptional times in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Stress and anxiety are often worsened by two factors: unpredictability and lack of control. The coronavirus pandemic entails a lot of uncertainty, both in terms of the future and the virus itself.
What can you do about it? You should acknowledge and accept your thoughts and those of people around you – and try to be constructive about them.
Try to overcome your negative thoughts, as they won’t help
Stressful situations often make people think in a way that is not helpful. Such unhelpful thinking patterns include negative scenarios about the present and the future, being pessimistic and focusing on negative things, and expecting the worst.
Some people are fearful about worrying, while others believe that worrying protects them. Constant worrying is not helpful, as it may only worsen anxiety over time. A flexible, balanced, optimistic attitude may reduce stress.
It’s normal to have negative thoughts and fears in the current situation, which is so unpredictable in many ways. But if you adopt a balanced attitude and don’t fear the worst, you may feel less anxious and stressed. Make adopting an optimistic attitude a long-term objective.
The world has gone through worse crises than this, and this one too will be over at some point.
Tips for feeling good
- Make a determined effort to look after yourself.
- Do the things that you like.
- Control your anxiety. Try to consciously limit the time spent worrying and choose a specific, regular moment for worrying (e.g. 15 minutes a day).
- Try to limit how much you read about the coronavirus.
- Do problem-solving activities such as crosswords.
- Do relaxation exercises.
- Try meditation – and why not mindfulness too?
