It is, for many people all across the planet, pretty hard to stay calm and think about anything but the COVID-19 pandemic right now.
The havoc this pandemic is wreaking is severely amplified by the accompanying effects of fear and anxiety — the result not just of a truly frightening public health situation, but also large-scale quarantines, dramatic news reports, and of course a whirlwind of (mis)information courtesy of your social media steam.
Perhaps the worst part is that you may not be able to think clearly — about the stress you are facing or anything else. Research has found that stress, and especially the kind of long-term stress so many people face today, has a negative impact on your cognitive ability.
To help you fight the stress you will definitely be dealing with during this frightening time of COVID-19 and a rapidly changing world by taking health-boosting steps every day, you first have to understand how it's affecting you, though!
What do people stress about the most during an epidemic?
Epidemics call for public health measures on a massive scale, such as vaccine development and patient treatment plans. The global health threat that is COVID-19 has been dominating both the headlines and many people's minds for longer than we initially expected now, but dealing with these issues may make us forget that patients with other diseases still need help and care, some of them maybe more than ever. Not only do these issues trigger stress throughout the epidemic itself, they may also leave serious consequences in its aftermath.
Traumatic events like the COVID-19 pandemic are bound to affect entire populations, with some groups (such as children, healthcare workers, marginalized groups of people and psychiatric patients) being more vulnerable than others, especially because health services and resources are scarce and overburdened.
Many authors are already concerned how the COVID-19 pandemic affects people suffering from OCD (because of frequent hand washing and surface disinfection), depression, PTSD, eating disorders, and other mental health issues, whose lives are already burdened by fear and anxiety.
Depression is the most common manifestation of stress in situations where rapid changes are forced upon us — but grief and suffering may evolve into something much more sinister, ranging from substance abuse to even suicidal thoughts. Even when the pandemic is over, some people (especially those who suffered some sort of personal tragedy) will manifest their deep sense of sorrow in the shape of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Populations who have already survived similar crises, especially wars, are also susceptible, because this new situation may trigger PTSD symptoms.
People with these types of experiences tend to be afraid of a “new” life, feel abandoned or guilty, or even find themselves in constant fear of a new similar situation arising in the future. Without external help, these people have a tendency to continue feeling angry, guilty, or even ashamed, instead of trying to focus on rebuilding their lives, which is a complex and painstaking task.
That way, you will not only keep yourself and your loved ones safe, but simultaneously learn and potentially change something about your own behavior, making you even stronger and more prepared for what the future holds.
Of course, treating stress is a complex task which may require professional help, but it is also important to know that you can take steps to reduce it by yourself, and here we’ll talk about some of the things that should make you keep your mind at ease during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How to deal with the type of stress a pandemic causes?
Maybe you’ve already heard the old Latin saying “Mens sana in corpore sano”, which translates to “a healthy mind in a healthy body”. You can reduce your stress by reducing your risk of infection and boosting your physical health through:
- Proper nutrition
- Reasonable amounts of physical activity
- Wearing appropriate protective equipment when outside
Try not to think of yourself as a potential victim and powerless bystander, and instead change your mindset and your habits. Practicing social distancing, washing your hands, and taking care of yourself (and others) when outside are crucial steps in fighting the pandemic, as well as your own fears.
There is no need to be afraid of COVID-19, as long as you have done everything to protect yourself. That's not to say it's impossible to become infected even if you follow all the recommended protective measures to the letter, but if you are taking all the right steps, there is truly no point in being afraid, since there's nothing further you can do.
What measures should I take in effort to feel better about my risk of COVID-19?
To reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, you (and the people around you) may feel safer if you wear a protective mask and surgical gloves when outside of your home, especially in situations where you are in closed indoor spaces and it is impossible to practice social distancing correctly.
Therefore, it is even more important to know how to properly wear and dispose of them, because wearing face masks and gloves the wrong way can cause more harm than not wearing them at all. Finally, remember that no amount of protective gear can replace regular hand washing.
Try not to overload yourself on COVID-19 related news or media material. Information is important, but try to cut down your exposition to media sources, which is especially important today, when false information lurks on every step, and in every browser. This ought to make you feel less tense throughout the day. Don't make the news the last thing you see before bed; relax with a book, some yoga, or a shower.
Don’t neglect your sense of routine. Oversleeping may affect your normal sleep cycle if you are working from home and don't need to show up at the office at a certain time, which can in turn affect not just your productivity, but also your health. If you’re working from home, avoid doing it from bed in your pajamas, and try to maintain discipline as you would in your workplace.
While inside, you can finally organize your free time the way you always wanted to. At last you can read that one book you wanted for a long time, or watch a movie you’ve missed to pass the time. You can also try to be creative – learn to play an instrument, paint, you name it! The good part of living in the information age is that you have numerous online courses. During this time, you can find out what makes you happy and immerse yourself in it. One of the goals of this 30-day challenge is to become a better version of yourself, and by turning this situation to your advantage you’re one step closer to that.
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