Much is reported in the press about strange ‘Covid-19’ dreams. I see little in comparison about ‘Covid-19’ anxiety. How do we cope with it? The feeling of dread when we wake up in the morning; the fear when wondering about ‘that cough’; the apprehension receiving the message from HR; the loneliness in self-isolation alone day after day. Not everyone wants or can talk to a psychotherapist. Here are some tips for alleviating anxiety yourself:
- acknowledge to yourself that it is perfectly ‘normal’ to feel this way. There is nothing wrong with you;
- take some long, deep breaths to steady yourself. Count the breaths in and out;
- if anxious feelings are marooning you in bed first thing, ask yourself gently to get up and do something pleasurable, even if it is eating ice cream; no need to brush teeth or get dressed straightaway;
- if you cannot get out of bed, put on the radio or TV to hear a human voice;
- if the anxious feelings continue, talk to yourself out loud as if you are a caring, loving friend talking to you; talking out loud is nothing to be ashamed of, as it can be very calming;
These are steps designed to calm down crippling feelings of anxiety. I will write more next time about how do deal with anxiety once you are up and trying to get through the day.