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15 Silver Linings & Strategies to Manage Anxiety During the Coronavirus Pandemic
The word pandemic in of itself sounds scary, maybe because it has the word panic in it. With so many unknowns surrounding the coronavirus, how are we supposed to not freak out? Now that the coronavirus pandemic has been declared a national emergency across the nation, this once remote virus no longer feels like someone else’s problem.
We’ve all been put on high alert so it’s no wonder we’re feeling anxious about protecting ourselves and our families. But let’s take a deep breath, manage our anxieties, and collectively flatten the curve so we can get through this pandemic.
The effects of social distancing changed our lives overnight because of this fast and furious world public health crisis. Our calendars suddenly emptied as we withdrew from work, school, sporting events, the gym, or even stopped going out to grab a cup of coffee. This massive disruption coupled with our fear of the unknown continues to heighten our anxiety as the stock market plummeted, travel bans were put into effect, and spring break plans were canceled. Some of us began to feel food insecure even if it’s not rational. We can’t help but fear we could end up in an ICU hooked up to a respirator or, worst-case scenario, die from this menacing novel virus.
When it comes to anxiety, the challenge is to manage uncertainty, which isn’t exactly easy right now, especially with a 24-hour news cycle. The good news is there are several things we can do to remain calm and look out for our mental health, which in the end boosts our immune system to keep us physically healthy.
The following is a list of ways to manage our anxiety, alleviate our stress, stop our minds from spiraling during such an uncertain time, and even find the silver linings.
