The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic can have various effects on people. Some would become more productive as they take on a new hobby, while others begin to feel extra tired and passive. If you belong to the latter, you might be dealing with stress and anxiety due to COVID-19.
But you do not have to worry since you are not the only one who is feeling down during these trying times. Since the virus started sweeping across the country and worldwide, plans and routines had to be postponed or canceled. It left a feeling of uncertainty, causing more people to experience mental health problems that need proper addressing.
If you are having a hard time dealing with the effects of the pandemic in your life, here are several ways to help you cope with the stress and anxiety brought by COVID-19.
Start Dealing With It At Once
You might want to ignore or downplay what you are feeling, or maybe you have not even recognized how stressed or anxious you are until you can no longer handle it.
Your stress and anxiety will never go away even if you fervently wish for them to vanish into thin air in an instant. You must accept the fact that you are dealing with stress and anxiety and must address it immediately.
Crucial Issues To Address
There might be plenty of things that may make you feel stressed or anxious. Because of the uncertainty, you might feel that you can no longer control various aspects of your life. But there are things that you can still control, including:
Health and Safety
Two of the most primary concern of everyone during these times is their health and safety. Since the virus is invisible, your only defense against it is to exert extra effort to avoid contracting it. If there is a major outbreak in your location, you need to avoid unnecessary exposure to public places.
You also need to stock up on essential items like food, cleaning supplies, and medications for at least two months. You may also ask your employer if you can work at home. By doing this, you can guarantee your safety until a vaccine is finally released.
Relationship with Others
Cooping up inside your home for a long time may take a toll on your relationships. Some may begin to intensify because they are holed up together. Some may start to drift away because they no longer see others as much as they want to.
Since COVID-19 is a highly contagious virus, you must avoid interacting with as many people as possible. If you live with people with co-morbidities, you need to take extra precautions to avoid passing the virus to your loved ones. You must also practice social distancing at all times.
Finally, you must also check your self-esteem while in the middle of the pandemic. Since things are not normal nowadays, most of your plans will have to take a backseat. It would affect your sense of control. So start making plans to help boost your confidence and get your sense of control back. It will help you beat your stress and anxiety.
