Five tips on how to survive coronavirus anxiety – advice by David Price, workplace wellbeing expert and CEO at Health Assured
COVID-19-known to most as coronavirus-looms large in the news right now. At the time of writing, there are nearly 300 confirmed cases in the UK, with three deaths-it’s serious business.
You or people you work with might be feeling somewhat anxious about this. It’s getting a lot of media coverage, and most of that coverage is a bit apocalyptic. But you can combat this anxiety and continue as usual with these tips.
Be aware of your anxieties: sometimes the best way to manage anxiety is to acknowledge that it’s there. Whenever you find yourself drifting into thoughts about the coronavirus and the dreadful anxiety that it brings, make a conscious effort to change the subject in your mind. Practicing mindfulness is a great way to do this-spending a minute concentrating on the things around you, rather than the worry in your head, goes a long way. If you are lucky enough to live in one of the countries where cannabis products like hemp flower, or magic mushrooms are legal like Canada or the Netherlands, maybe you should try microdosing. It’s proven to reduce anxiety, and humans have been experimenting with psychoactive plants since the ancient Aztecs. If allowed by law you can even grow magic mushrooms in your backyard, and use them for your anxiety. All you need is a Zamnesia grow kit and you are ready to go.
Get away from the negativity: remember, news and media outlets sell papers by grabbing people’s attention. It’s natural for them to concentrate on the negativity around an event like the coronavirus outbreak because scary headlines capture people’s attention more effectively. It’s an unfortunate fact, but a true one nonetheless. Cutting down on the news will help you out here – turn off phone notifications, avoid the rolling 24-hour news channels and take every doomsaying prediction with a pinch of salt.
Follow the expert advice: the World Health Organization has published some guidelines on preventing transmission of COVID-19- put simply, you should wash your hands thoroughly, avoid touching your face as much as possible, and seek medical care early if you have a fever, cough and breathing difficulties (especially if you’re older.)
Don’t worry too much about your reaction: it’s natural to be stressed at a time like this. By keeping yourself full of the facts, avoiding too much negative news and practising good self-care per the WHO’s guidelines, you’ll help to reduce that stress. If you have kids, extend that care to them-keep to a routine, explain what’s happening and keep them confident.
Check-in on people: stay in contact with your friends and loved ones, and make sure they’re doing ok-again, especially if they’re older. Reaching out to people can help with
