How to Get Through Anxiety During Covid-19 Pandemic

Posted on: 30 December 2020
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by Hina Babar

There is no denying to the fact that 2020 has been the roughest of the years for most of us. Juggling through a pandemic is not an easy thing. We have all been the victims of unnerving circumstances and everybody has been reacting to them differently. But one of the most common responses to Covid-19 is anxiety response. If you have been experiencing symptoms like nervousness, lethargy, cognitive decline, overthinking, and other physiological responses such as racing heartbeat, shivering, excessive sweating, etc., there is a chance that you are going through anxiety. We are all familiar with grounding techniques, meditative exercises, and affirmative practices. Let’s see what other small, daily-life changes we can make to cope with anxiety during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Keep a check on your screen-time

Screen-time has become a necessity in these technologically advanced times. But screen-time can serve as a stumbling block in managing our anxiety. Since the pandemic, many of the folks have been obsessing over news or scrolling through social media unnecessarily. By doing this, you are unintentionally feeding your mind with the fear-alarming messages. Excessive fearmongering, coupled with a pervasive sense of isolation, can leave any human brain vulnerable to an anxiety response. In order to cater this unsettlement, try limiting social media exposure, and live some time outside the virtual world.

Focus on Now

One of the significant features of anxiety is worrying about the future. In times like these, it is not uncommon to overthink what might happen in the future. To compensate for the overthinking, you can try living in the present by focusing on today. Snuggle up and watch some of your favorite TV shows or movies. Cook the meals you love. Hit the gym. Watch the sky in silence. Play with your pets. Do whatever makes you stay in the present. Take this opportunity to fulfil your passions. Did you want to start that YouTube channel? Do it! Wanted to do that online certification? Now you got plenty of time! Wanted to revamp your room? If not now, when? Occupying yourself with the present thoughts will leave little time to worry about things far in the future.

Structure your day

Anxiety feeds on uncertainty, and routines are the way to control those uncertainties. Online lectures and work from home have slurped the structure off our twenty-four-hour period. Most of us snooze-away our mornings, attend the classes half-asleep, spend the evenings glued to a sofa, not knowing what to do next. This lack of structure is what worsens the anxiety symptoms. Spare 10 minutes and make a schedule, a timetable, a to-do list, anything which can give you a heads up on your day. Try bringing balance in your routine, and you’ll observe harmony in your emotions and mental state.

Be Easy on Yourself

You may not have accomplished your target goals this year. But come on, cut yourself some slack. You are surviving a pandemic. It is okay to feel lost in such a time. Also, you can always consult a therapist to talk things out, be it your friends or family as well. Asking for help doesn’t imply weakness. It is actually a sign of strength. If you can come this far, you can definitely go further.

No one has his/her life all figured out at this time. Do not stress yourself by getting intimidated by the Instagram lives of people as only real life depicts the struggle, that we all face. Let yourself breathe and try to achieve a positive state of mind as a healthy attitude is everything.