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The last couple of weeks, turned out to be very different to what most of us have probably planned. The outbreak of COVID-19 has left the world overwhelmed with fear, anxiety and panic. People in different countries, irrespective of race, religion, gender or location started getting sick with this life-threatening virus. Across the world, people’s lives have changed drastically; the world’s economy has gone down and families started losing loved ones to this contagious virus.   

Of course, with this uncertainty and fragmentation in our stability comes anxiety.  Anxiety, is our body’s natural response to stressful situations characterized by fear and apprehension of what is going to happen. Anxiety can manifest itself in various ways.General symptoms of anxiety include: increased heart rate; rapid breathing; restlessness; trouble concentrating and difficulty falling asleep. Other symptoms may also include feeling faint or dizzy; shortness of breath; dry mouth; sweating; chills or hot flashes and numbness. 

Many of the client’s I see, including myself have suffered at some point in time from anxiety. While for some anxiety is experienced from time to time, some of us the experience of anxiety was debilitating leading to a dysfunction in our everyday life. No matter the level of anxiety we had in the past, this has been amplified with the national crisis that we are finding ourselves in.  

Anxiety is a battle of constant thoughts running in our minds. We are left trying to sort out which thoughts to listen to and which to ignore. The following are some strategies that could support us in moments of our anxiety especially during these trying times.

Be Knowledgeable: By learning what triggers your anxiety and how to identify your symptoms you can support yourself in the moments when the anxiety sets in. 

Ground yourself: During moments of anxiety it is important to use our senses.  Ground yourself by sitting on a chair with your feet touching the ground. Start asking yourself several questions such as: How is the anxiety making you feel. Do you feel tense? Is your heart beating faster? 

Engaging in a Sensing Exercise: Guide yourself by identifying 3 things you can see with your eyes; 3 things you can hear around you; 3 things you can touch and 3 things you can taste. This will support you in grounding yourself further.

Breathing exercises: Sometimes we take breathing for granted and we don’t realize that there are moments were with anxiety we either stop breathing or take very shallow breathes. It is important that we learn to take deep breaths through our nose and out through our mouths in a slow and paced manner. 

Use Constructively Time on Social Media: It is important especially during these times to use time on social media constructively. The overwhelming coverage on what is going around to COVID-19 can in itself trigger anxiety. Make sure to be selective in the articles and media you follow and check the sources. Use social media to connect with friends, family and colleagues.  This will support you not to enter in the loneliness that social distance can create. 

Healthy diet and Exercise: During these times in particular when we are confined in our homes, it is of outmost importance to have a healthy diet and engage in regular exercise.