For many of us, the pandemic and the fallout around the pandemic have created elevated levels of uncertainty and stress. The coronavirus has changed how we live and made us acutely aware of just how fragile our health, family, and finances are. Many of us are not sure if our job will still be there when the economy re-opens. These challenges become more difficult to manage as social distancing limits access to many of our usual support networks and coping mechanisms.
Uncertainty compounds anxiety
The pandemic is almost a perfect storm of uncertainty. Will there be a vaccine? Will I need to quarantine? Will my business survive or will my company need to cut back? How will I manage if my children have no after-school or summer activities?
Unfortunately, uncertainty interferes with our ability to function when faced with a threat like COVID-19. If I knew with certainty that I would fall ill by going out, I would stay home. But if I might fall ill or might not get the virus, or may have mild symptoms or suffer from debilitating symptoms, then the “anticipation machine” that is our brain runs into difficulty. We just have no way to leverage our past experiences to deal with the real threats that the pandemic presents for all of us.
Anxiety compounded by uncertainty about the future can become a real impediment to our functioning – even for those who are not naturally anxious.
Tips for managing anxiety and trepidation in uncertain times
Prolonged stress causes our body to be in a more or less constant state of vigilance. This heightened state of tension can trigger other reactions in our bodies and promote stress-related disorders, such as tension-type headaches and migraine headaches. To mitigate the effects of the very real pressures that we are under, you can implement stress-relieving techniques that have been shown to reduce muscle tension, alleviate headaches and other stress-related disorders, and enable you to regain a sense of well-being and better everyday functioning.
Tip 1: Focus on the present moment
If we stop and think about the nature of anxiety, we will notice anxiety requires us to focus on the future. The question “what if” is often at the root of any anxious thought.
If we practice focusing on the present moment we will recognize that, at the moment, we are okay. When there is a challenge in the moment, then we are able to focus our attention on the challenge.
When we shift to a problem-solving frame of mind, we tend not to be anxious. In fact, when we face challenges we often find we are more resilient and resourceful than we thought. Anxiety is largely about the unknown. We can learn to manage fears of the unknown by focusing on the present moment.
Switching our attention from an unknown future to where we are at this moment is an effective technique to manage anxiety.
Tip 2: Breathing–your treasure inside
Breathing is a source of life and vitality. It helps improve all body functions related to blood circulation. The better the blood circulates in your body, the more it can bring oxygène and other life-saving elements to your organs. The influence on the immune system is important.
Focusing on our breath brings us into our body and into the present moment. Long, slow, deep breathing activates our sympathetic nervous system. When we take long slow deep breaths our heart rate slows, and our nervous system calms itself.
Tip 3: Help your kids get centered
When our children are stressed, our own anxiety levels rise as well. If you are able to help your children learn skills for gaining calm, you will be using the moment to help your children learn lifelong coping skills for stress and anxiety while lowering your own anxiety.
You can practice deep, slow breathing with your child when he or she is stressed or worried. Breathing exercises will help to calm them as they learn a valuable skill. You may be surprised by how much practicing together with your children benefits you!
Have questions? Need help to manage anxiety?
If you feel that you need help managing anxiety, or just want to learn more, reach out today. You can get in touch by phone or by filling out the contact form.