2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, mainly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Finding the right strategies for reducing COVID-19 anxiety is essential for getting through the year.
The Coronavirus has claimed the lives of more than a million people. Many others have suffered financially, mentally, and emotionally because of the pandemic.
The people who are stuck at home have to deal with a lot of anxiety caused by the pandemic, taking a severe toll on their mental health. More so, almost everyone, including kids, have had their entire worlds changed. People are trying to stay indoors to prevent the spread of the virus.
Experiencing anxiety does not only deteriorate your mental health, but it can also diminish the performance of your immune system, which makes you more susceptible to the Coronavirus. Here’re ten ways in which you can counter COVID-19 anxiety.
Don’t Bother Yourself with the Statistics
Though it’s a good habit to stay aware of the world’s happenings, watching the news all the time, especially when there is hardly anything positive, can be very stressful. Watching the news and keeping up with the ever-worsening COVID-19 statistics does not do your mental health any good.
So, change the channel and watch something that makes you happy. I understand you don’t want to ignore the real problems happening around you, but at this time, you need to be kind to yourself and put yourself first.
Don’t stress yourself with the COVID-19 statistics, relax and enjoy the things you love.
Try Alternative Anxiety-relieving Solutions
When it comes to dealing with anxiety, many people resort to anti-anxiety medications. Though these pharmaceutical medications can be effective temporarily, their long-term impacts can be quite devastating due to the severe side effects.
You should consider using some alternative medications, such as CBD products, to get relief from anxiety. CBD gives you all the medicinal benefits of cannabis but doesn’t get you high. Furthermore, it doesn’t have any long-lasting side effects either.
Check out CBD mango haze to get relief from pandemic related anxiety.
Bring a New Pet Into the House
The WHO guidelines say you need to do social distancing from other people. Still, there’s nothing in puppies’ guidelines. Well, if you’re feeling anxious about the pandemic and want to take your mind off things, there’s no better thing than adopting an emotional support pet.
Playing with a pet can have a positive impact on your mind. It can help you relax and feel less anxious. Though any pet can help you fight anxiety, an emotional support dog will probably do the best job.
These dogs are trained to understand when you are feeling down, and they show you affection and keep you happy. Moreover, your kids will also love to play with the pet.
Help the People Around You
Another way to feel less anxious during this pandemic is to make some positive changes in your surroundings. If you help the people around you, you’ll feel a lot better.
You can help the elderly in your area buy groceries so they don’t have to get out of the house since they’re more susceptible to the virus. More so, you should also try to help the homeless people in your area since they don’t have a place to quarantine themselves. They don’t have easy access to shelter, food, or medicines.
Therefore, you can donate to your local homeless shelter and get some self-protection supplies and food for homeless people.
Learn a Skill
Most people are stressed during the pandemic because they feel their time is being wasted. They can’t go to work, and they cannot do anything productive with their time. However, if you look at it from a positive perspective, you have a lot of free time on your hands to do whatever you want.
You can learn a new skill, which can help you further your career or start a side hustle. Moreover, you can read books and learn about new things.
Though I understand it can sometimes be hard to motivate yourself, there’re several excellent sources on the internet you can take to learn almost any skill you want to from your home. You can also hire online tutors to help you out.
Spend More Time with your Family
One of the best ways to beat anxiety is to spend time with the people you love. Many people have to spend a lot of time in their homes because of the pandemic; however, the plus side of it is you now get to spend a lot more time with your family.
Many families aren’t as social as they should be, even though they live in the same home. Make it a priority to organize fun activities for your family. You can play board games, watch a movie, cook some food, or maybe have a fun barbecue party in the backyard.
Spending time with your family, and talking about the things causing you anxiety, can be very helpful in coping.
Maintain a Healthy Sleep Cycle
The pandemic has changed our schedules a lot. Many people tend to sleep at irregular times these days. They may stay up all night and sleep during the day. Moreover, some people aren’t getting enough sleep, which can make stress and anxiety even worse.
Therefore, you should take some steps to ensure healthier sleep. According to experts, you should be getting at least 6-8 hours of sleep every day.
Focus on the Odds
Though the numbers on the television screen might seem scary, you should also look at the mathematical odds. Of course, all the deaths are tragic, but you should know most of the people infected by COVID-19 have mild to moderate symptoms, and some don’t even show signs at all.
Although all the deaths are tragic, if you look at the numbers, the mortality rate is hardly 1.4% to 3%. This means even if you catch the virus, which is unlikely to stay at home and follow the WHO guidelines, you still have a 97% chance of recovering.
Engage in Some Stress Reduction Activities
There’re several easy activities you can do in your home to decrease stress. For instance, you can take a virtual yoga class, meditate, do some exercise, or maybe listen to some soothing music.
These are challenging times, and you must be kind to yourself and others. Take care of your mental health, and engage in healthy stress countering activities.
Start Watching a New and Thrilling TV Show
Since we have so much free time on our hands, it’s better to keep the mind occupied. However, listening to the news all day and worrying about the statistics won’t do your mental health any good. You need to take a break from all the stress and watch a TV show you can enjoy.
There are loads of incredible options on Netflix for people of all ages and different tastes. You will definitely find something you will enjoy.
Finally, everyone will be affected by the aftermath of COVID-19. However, remaining hopeful during the pandemic can reduce anxiety and help you get through these challenging times.
