How To Manage Anxiety During The Corona Virus Pandemic
Brisbane Counselling
Counselling in Brisbane to manage anxiety during COVID-19.
Mental Health And Wellbeing During The Corona Virus
I wanted to share my experience with you during this time of uncertainty and the coronavirus. I know many people, myself included are experiencing a range of emotions right now. There are waves of emotions I touch on each day and hour! My emotions range from fear, sadness, and grief as well as hopefulness, gratitude and peace. There are tears and there are frustrations. There is also much love.
These waves of emotion, feelings and thoughts are all normal and to be expected right now and I share this with you because I want you to all go gently with yourselves and your experiences. Now is not the time to be judging ourselves or placing expectations on ourselves or others. In this time it can be tempting to become rigid and inflexible with one another and ourselves! Rather than make my experience or anyone else’s experience wrong I want to invite you to make room for each other. To hold space for one another to have a voice.
In the words of Brene Brown ~ This pandemic experience is a massive experiment in collective vulnerability. We can be our worst selves when we are afraid, or our very best bravest selves. In the context of fear and vulnerability there is often very little in between., because when we are uncertain and afraid, our default is self-protection. We don't have to be scary when we are scared. Let’s choose to be awkward, brave and kind. And lets choose each other.
Right now it feels easy to enter into the online vortex that focuses on COVID-19. We can find ourselves slipping into dysregulated states of fear and panic as we get lost in the scroll are searching online for something to help us feel at ease and more at peace. We can feel off balance and doubtful when we are surrounded by so many voices.
I have had to be mindful of my own time and interaction online and consciously choose where to focus my energy right now so that I can best support myself and others. I encourage you to do the same as I am aware that I may be another voice in your feed!
What I want to share that may be helpful for you, is that I am choosing to focus on what is supportive for me and my nervous system right now. For me I am reflecting on this experience and the opportunity to look inwards, to be introspective and to lean in and trust in my inner compass and wisdom.
I am embracing time for self-reflection to consider I have been living and to think about what matters. To focus on living life in alignment and to live with character and depth. Most importantly how to live with love. I have also been reaching out to friends, loved ones and my community sharing openly and honestly about my experiences.If you have followed me for a while you know one of my biggest values is connection.In 2020 I think the world is realising the power of human connection and how important it is to each of us.
Right now we have all have a rare opportunity to look at what is important to us and to decide how to live this life in a way that aligns with us. These thoughts are often reserved for those on the journey or personal growth, spiritual seeking or even end of life. This global pandemic is stripping away all the distractions and the super ego and cracking open our hearts. It’s asking us to pay attention.
In these moments of challenge, it is impossible to distract ourselves from what really matters - each other, unity, connection and what it means to be human. In moments of darkness I also choose to acknowledge the beauty, resilience, love and compassion I am seeing in the world right now. There is much that we can choose to focus on and right now that is supportive and regulating for us.
I know that many of us are also in isolation right now, some of us without another person or a family. Loneliness and disconnection is real. Something I want to share with you is what we know about loneliness from the worlds leading expert Professor John Caccioppo.
What we’ve found is that loneliness isn't so much about the physical absence of others, rather it is a sense that you are not able to share anything meaningful with other people. This is relevant right now because whilst we may be unable to be together “physically”, we can still be ‘in this together’ and still build meaning together.
To me we find meaning by honouring each other and our experiences.
We can share and tell our stories, so our stories don’t tell us
We can listen to one another and seek to understand each other
We can be curious with one another and really see one another
We can also build meaning in different ways.
I am seeing this online with many people supporting small busines
Individuals and groups campaigning for our frontline workers
People providing support to those on the frontlines of health care
Others finding and creating projects we can be a part of
In this blog, I want to share some of the resource that I find helpful for self-regulation as well as resources that I personally use to build resilience, peace and calm.
When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves - Victor Frankl
Common Feelings During The Corona Virus Pandemic
Fears about illness and death, inducing anxiety about what may happen to ourselves and our loved ones.
Fear/panic around the social and economical consequences of the pandemic not only for our country but for the world.
Feelings of isolation and loneliness
Feelings of loss or grief around your own identity due to social isolation, physical distancing and the reduction of human contact.
Feelings of challenge around learning new processes and technology to support working at home
Feelings of hopelessness or a lack of power to change what cannot be controlled.
Existential anxiety, around the uncertain future for the global collective
Whilst all these feelings are normal and to be expected during this time, what often happens is that we end up ruminating about our worries and concerns. This results in ‘health anxiety’ where we engage in obsessive-compulsive type of thinking and behaviours around our health.
Generally, this looks like seeking assurance through gathering information eg. Googling symptoms, social media scrolling, looking for information related to the corona virus etc. This has the effect of creating more anxiety and thoughts of “what If” or “Do I have the virus” etc.
From here we start to check for the body symptoms, based on the information we have. However, our increased physiological arousal leads us to experience increased physical sensations like: increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, shallow or difficult breathing and a higher temperature. We then begin to ask ourselves questions like: Are these feelings actually symptoms?
Our sympathetic nervous system becomes engaged and our brain is being filled with adrenalin and cortisol ( stress hormone). This, in turn, leads to increased and rapid mental activity, where we are on alert. We may also overestimate symptoms and dangers. The cycle of health anxiety has begun.
Now that our fight or flight system is engaged, we may begin to avoid some of the feelings and emotions we are experiencing, leading to more avoidance. This may be the set up for a false belief that we are coping because we are avoiding our feelings.
Whilst trying to dismiss or suppress thoughts or feelings that bother us is only natural (it is called thought suppression) unfortunately it is rarely completely effective.
Thought suppression leads to a rebound effect which can make our experiences even more prominent. Resulting is us having even more of the thoughts we are trying to suppress.
The more we avoid those feelings, the more anxious we become and the less we wish to participate in our normal activities or activities that bring us pleasure and joy.
How To Deal With Anxiety About Coronavirus
Interrupt worries and challenge thinking
When we find ourselves excessively worrying we can interrupt our worries and challenge catastrophic or worst case scenario thinking.
You may find these FREE CBT worksheets helpful in challenging unhelpful thoughts. The work of Byron Katie may also provide a helpful enquiry.
Another way to deal with anxiety and fear around the corona virus is to identify what we can control and practice accepting the rest. We can’t control the corona virus, the world economy, the impact corona virus has or how our governments respond during this time. We also cannot instantly make the fears and anxieties surrounding this situation disappear. But what we can do is to control how we respond in the moment, and that is the important part.
How we respond makes a significant difference to not only our ourselves but to those around us and those within our community. We all have control over how we respond and behave in this pandemic. The first step we can take is to effectively take control over our behaviour during this time.
To start doing this we begin working with our inner world, namely our emotions.
During this time we are all going to experience a range of emotions as well as some thoughts that may be negative or unhelpful to us. As these thoughts and emotions come to the surface we want to ensure that we remain grounded and not get swept up in unhelpful thinking or rumination.
One simple way to do this is to practice the ACE formula (Russ Harris ~ Acceptance and commitment therapy)
PRACTICE THE A.C.E FORMULA FOR CORONAVIRUS
A = Acknowledge your thoughts and feelings
C = Come back into your body
E = Engage in what you’re doing
A- Acknowledge your thoughts and feelings
Silently and kindly acknowledge whatever is ‘showing up’ inside you. Your thoughts, feelings, emotions, memories, sensation, urges around corona virus. Be curious in observing what’s going on in your inner world. It can be helpful to put this into words, and silently say to yourself something like, ‘I’m noticing my anxiety’, or ‘Here is my grief’, or ‘There is my mind worrying’ or ‘I’m having a feeling of sadness right now’ or ‘I’m having thoughts about getting sick’.
And while continuing to acknowledge your thoughts and feelings, also ...
C = Come back into your body
Come back into and connect with your physical body. You could try some or all of the following or choose what works for you.
Ground yourself by slowly pushing your feet firmly into the floor so you can feel yourself making contact with the earth.
Place a hand on your belly and breathe deeply
Sitting upwards and forwards in a chair, focus on slowly straightening your back and spine.
Slowly press your fingertips together
Place two hands on your heart and focus sending your breath to your heart
Slowly stretch your arms or neck and shrug your shoulders.
Breathe slowly and deeply through your nose, extending out your exhale
As you do this the aim is to remain aware of your thoughts and feelings and continue to acknowledge their presence as well as connecting with your body and actively engaging with it through movement, When we do this we begin to gain control over our body actions, which are in our control.
And as you acknowledge your thoughts & feelings, and come back into your body and
E = Engage in what you are doing
Get a sense of where you are and refocus your attention on the activity you are doing. You can do this by trying some or all of the following suggestions or doing so in a way that feels supportive to you
Look around the room and notice 5 things you can see
Notice 3 or 4 things you can hear
Notice what you can smell or taste or sense in your nose and mouth
Notice what you are doing
End the exercise by giving your full attention to the task or activity at hand
Repeat this 3-4 times slowly so that it lasts for at least 2 minutes.
Accept And Experience The Stages Of Grief When It Comes To The Corona Virus
You may be familiar with the stages of grief as described by David Kessler and Elizabeth Kubler Ross. We can apply these stages to the corona virus and the grief we may be feeling. It may be important for you to work with a therapist who can support you to process and work through the stages of grief you may be experiencing right now.
DENIAL: The virus won’t affect us
ANGER: You are making me isolate and stay at home away from my normal life
BARGAINING: I will social distance and follow the rules, and then in 2 weeks everything will be better
SADNESS: I don’t know if I/we all get through this, what will I/we lose?
ACCEPTANCE: This is what my current reality is. I cannot change it, there are limitations and I need to figure out how to proceed and move forward.
MEANING: Finding meaning in our experience is often where a therapist can be most supportive.
Here are some ideas around creating your own meaning during this time:
Focus on hope and purpose
Take action on do-able projects that focus on a meaningful future
Reach out to support others
ASK, What do I want for myself and others now in the future? How do I survive and thrive? Decide -What are the steps I can take to make this happen?
Answers to consider:
I can keep myself and others safe with physical distance
I can wash my hands
I can learn how to work virtually
I can keep calm and regulate my nervous systems o benefit myself and others
I can plan for the future
I can be helpful to others, I can display kindness and compassion to myself and others
I can be the creator of my own experience and world I wish to live in whilst accepting what I cannot change and what is out of my control.
Self-Care Strategies During Corona Virus Isolation
Set up New Routines
During times of uncertainty, transition and change it is beneficial to ensure that we find some certainty and structure in setting up a new routine or schedule for ourselves.
Some ideas around this right now are to:
Devote a part of each day to your own personal self-care.This might look like meditation, yoga, exercise, getting out into nature, spending time with a fur baby, cooking or something else that brings you joy.
Set and stick to realistic limits of work hours, Good self-care means taking a break and not over-working.
Eat regular meals, but avoid the temptation to snack. Cook more and find some joy in cooking.
Engage in activities you enjoy and where possible do so interact with family and friends.Some ideas might include: Reading books, hobbies, games, singing, dancing groups video or phone calls, online interactive games.
Allow yourself some dedicated worry time. This can look like deciding a particular time for your worries and giving yourself the space to voice your concerns. Some people find it helpful to write their worries down and put them into a “worry box” or safe container. Others find it’s important to have someone supportive who they can talk to or someone who can hold space for them.
Don’t get drawn into the COVID News. Many of our media reports are focused news that shocks and alarms us. Much of the media commentary we are hearing right now is focused on catastrophic global, social, political and economic. there is much uncertainty being promoted about our collective future which may lead to feelings of intense anxiety around events that are not in our control.
Engage The Vagus Nerve To Support With Corona Virus Anxiety
You can follow these six steps to engage your vagus nerve ( the nerve that runs from our brain to our gut) and soothe your sympathetic nervous system. By doing this you move out of fight or flight and into rest and digest mode.
When you stimulate the vagus nerve it calms you down. The vagus nerve Starts in the base of your skull in your amygdala and runs down the sides of our neck. It is closest to the surface between the collar bone and sternum then it disperses through the intestines and all through the gut .
When this nerve is physically stimulated touched or stretched you become regulated and more relaxed.
Here’s a simple 6 steps you can engage in to activate the vagus nerve.
Stroke your chest with firm pressure with your full hand ( from the top of your neck all the way down your chest - to the bottom of your underwire bra as a guide for women)
Exhale with sound ( You might want to practice an ahhhh or sigh sound)
Slowly turn head slowly from side to side
Make eye contact and smile (mirror or with others)
Ask ourselves, am I dying right now?
Even if the worst thing happens, I am not dying right now
Practice Grounding Strategies
Bi lateral movements are movements that include crossing over your body from left to right. They can be helpful to support you in feeling more grounded and connected. Movements you might like to try are:
Cross/crawl, draw a lazy eight, do the butterfly hug.
Listening to your favourite music is a great way to support yourself. One of the quickest ways to impact our physiology is to press play on music.
Brain spotting Bio Lateral sound healing may also be helpful for you.
Practice Being With Uncertainty
Uncertainty can make us all feel uncomfortable. One way we can support ourselves during uncertainties it to give ourselves permission to feel our emotions and whatever arises for us. This might be anger, sadness, fear or grief.
Often, our need or desire to control is about wanting to avoid our feelings. This approach asks us to lean into what is difficult instead of avoiding it. Right now, this may be a time where emotions are sitting close to the surface so go gently. From where you are now you can begin to shift your focus to the choices you DO have control or agency over.
We can choose what we want to bring to the situation at hand. For example, we can choose to bring courage to our fear, we can choose to ask for support and we can choose to bring our internal resources like compassion forward.
An important question to ask yourself, who is it that I want to be in this situation?
In addition you can practice:
Recalling and acknowledging the challenges that you have overcome in the past
Asking how Can I make use fo this situation for myself and others?
Create a sense of community and connect with others online, through phone or video
Looking at how you can help another and be compassionate. (We feel a sense of pleasure and happiness when we can actually give kindness to another.)
Pause, slow down, breathe, relax, reflect. (We lose our ability for compassion and clear thinking when the sympathetic nervous system is engaged.)
Finally, please know that as a species we are capable and resilient, together we will get through this. May we be a light in the darkness for one another, to guide each other home.
Some Additional Resources for corona virus:
Add The World Health Organisation on What’s app. +41 22 501 75 96. text Hi for options and to receive updates.
24/7/Emotional support is available for you. You an call life line on 13 11 14
I am currently also available for sessions online and in person.
Do the online Self-Compassion Mini Course For $11
If you are seeking counselling in Brisbane or online counselling please reach out and click the link above to book a counselling session.