11 Tips for Coping With Anxiety During CoVID

"Right now, were dealing with unprecedented circumstances and adjusting to life during a global pandemic. Those of us who already struggle with mental illnesses like generalized anxiety disorder and depression may be experiencing an uptick in symptoms, making it difficult to get through the day without spiraling out from fear over the health and safety of our loved ones, threats to our financial stability, and existential panic over an uncertain future...we all need coping mechanisms to take care of our mental health. Allure spoke with three therapists who offered advice for how to ground yourself when youre feeling panicked, how to self-soothe when youre catastrophizing, and little ways you can find moments of relief throughout the day.

1. Accept that its normal to be stressed out right now. Dont judge yourself for how youre feeling. Its important not to judge yourself for how youre feeling, or for behaviors that may result from your heightened emotional state. Doing so will only compound your anxiety, according to Beverly Engel, LMFT and psychotherapist. Instead, practice self-compassion. Dont be so hard on yourself: Its okay that youre not perfect right now, its okay that youre struggling; were all struggling, she says.

2. Identify your self-care needs and make adjustments to your coping mechanisms where you can. To relax during a typical difficult week, you might go to a yoga class or set up a coffee date with a friend, but those options arent currently available. "The methods we usually use for self-care and coping are disrupted because of the consequences of COVID-19," explains Ali. But instead of taking an all-or-nothing approach, "assess your needs and ask yourself, How can I still meet that need? Whats my second-best option?" she suggests...Did it take a global pandemic for you to realize that you never developed any self-soothing mechanisms, and now you desperately need some? Thats okay too; nows a perfect time to try things out and see which work for you.

3. Learn grounding, anchoring, and other self-soothing techniques to calm yourself during moments of panic. "A lot of our fears are about going into our heads and obsessing and ruminating and catastrophizing," explains Engel. When that happens, the best way to counter a tendency to spiral or even dissociate is to "get out of our heads and get back into our bodies." Grounding techniques pull your attention back to the present moment, "and that makes you feel more secure," she says.

4. Move your body. One way to get out of your head is to distract yourself with physical movement, even if your instinct is to resist motion. "When we are really panicky, our tendency is to freeze; we dont want to move. What we really need is to take action, and move more," explains Odelya Gertel Kraybill, LCPC and trauma therapist. During moments of paralysis, Kraybill recommends what she calls a "reset exercise": Jump up and down 10 times, and follow that with seated deep-breathing exercises to recover. "It resets the nervous system," she says.

5. Develop a mantra. Part of practicing self-compassion is finding calming words to repeat to yourself when youre getting upset about the fact that youre upset (and that only makes you more upset). Engel suggests telling yourself, "Its understandable," i.e., "its understandable that Im stressed out. Its understandable Im not working at my peak performance." Another one is "Im doing the best that I can." You could also use words of gratitude, such as "Im grateful for my breath" or "Im grateful for my friends." Breathe deeply as you repeat your mantra to yourself. Another trick to combat negative self-talk: Imagine what you would say to a close friend who was going through the same thing. "We have a lot of compassion for other people. We cant do the same for ourselves," says Kraybill. It reminds you that were all having a tough time right now, and to be kinder to yourself.

6. Visualize a pleasant memory. "Using visualization and imagination right now is really important because it can really help us connect with the feelings we have inside and experiences that are also positive," explains Kraybill.

7. Keep to a routine. This doesnt mean you need to give yourself a rigid schedule and keep a list of everything youre accomplishing. But "when you wake up in the morning, have some goals for the day," suggests Engel. "The routine could include exercise; it could include checking in on your friends, sanitizing your house. Having endless free time actually creates stress."

8. Talk to someone who makes you feel better. Its also helpful to identify a trusted friend or family member to talk to when youre feeling super anxious, especially if you dont have a therapist. But be honest with yourself about whether talking to that person actually makes you feel better.

9. Remember that hypochondria is a manifestation of anxiety. Its unfortunate that one of the most severe symptoms of COVID-19 — shortness of breath — is also a symptom of high anxiety...Engel recommends grounding exercises and deep breathing for hypochondria, which will have the same effect of helping you out of your head and whatever youre obsessing about.

10. Take a break from your phone or computer. Yes, this sounds impossible right now — what else are you supposed to do when youre stuck inside, deprived of human contact? If you can still sit outside in your backyard or on your fire escape, take those breaks when you can instead of constantly refreshing Twitter — particularly if you notice that your social media feed triggers your anxiety. You could even set limits on how often you check the news, getting it down to once a day, while still staying informed, suggests Kraybill. For non-screen-related activities, Ali suggests crafting, cooking, reading, writing, or taking a bath.

11. Set aside time to deal with the tasks youre avoiding. Turns out avoiding things that give you agita, like managing finances, or job applications you keep putting off, can make your stress worse, especially if youre low-key always worrying about them. Engel suggests setting aside a window of time a few days a week to "confront the realities of your situation and take some action." This small step can make you feel more in control of your life right now..."

(Source https://www.allure.com/story/therapist-tips-anxiety-coronavirus)

Of the tips listed, are there some you might be interesting in trying?

What other tips might you add to this list?