Coronavirus Anxiety: Coping With Stress And Fear

It’s a scary time in our world. A worldwide pandemic has hit, and many places have shut down. Some businesses and restaurants are struggling to reopen safely.

Some areas of our country luckily are keeping numbers low, but others have skyrocketing COVID-19 rates. Some wonder if this is all real, is this a hoax? Some are too proud and refuse to wear a mask while others are careful and go to extremes.

Our world is a stressful place right now, with all the headlines going across our TV screens and social media. You may be wondering, “When will this all end?”

For most of us, the hardest thing to handle is the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus.

No one knows how long this will last, what impact it will have on our lives in the future or how bad things can get.

Because of all this uncertainty, it’s easy for us to get inside our already anxious minds and panic. Our lives spiral out of control, and we over catastrophize.

Health professionals recommend we practice social distancing to help stop the spread of the virus. By doing this, it also means cutting back on in-person socializing.

The problem with social distancing is, humans are hard-wired for connection. We are social beings.

If we are isolated, our anxiety and depression symptoms become worse, and may even impact our physical health.

Staying connected is so important during these trying times. Here are some best practices to help you.

It would be best to stay informed about what’s happening in your area to follow the advised safety precautions. It’s crucial, however, to discern what is real from what is misinformation.

Staying active will help you relieve stress, calm your anxiety, and put you in a better mood.

Most gyms may be closed, but you can still find ways to exercise. Here are a few ways to remain active.

There are so many things you can still physically do to better your health. You should also maintain your mental health by using meditation exercises for anxiety relief and learning to handle your negative thoughts positively.

When you feel anxiety, remember to be mindful. There are many different things you can do to help ease your coronavirus anxiety.

Many grounding techniques for anxiety, such as the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise, will help calm your nerves. You can also find a grounding object such as a stress ball or use self-talk or positive affirmations.

Find what works best for you, and remember to be mindful and focus on your emotional self-care.

Most museums may be closed right now, and traveling to a national park may be out of the question. But what about a virtual walkthrough?

Over 500 museums and art galleries have partnered with Google Art & Culture to be available as virtual tours.

There are many options, so head on over to Google Arts & Culture or see the top curated list.

Even the U.S. National Parks are online and virtual, where you will learn fun facts from park ranger tour guides and see secluded areas that most people never get to see.

Google Arts & Culture has a lot to offer. You can visit The Hidden Worlds of the National Park, an interactive documentary and exhibit.