Pre-2020, an astounding 40 million people in America alone experienced anxiety in some form, with increased connectivity, increasing job demands, and a whole lot more driving the trend. Now, with unprecedented pandemonium due to the pandemic, those figures are liable to be a whole lot higher. After all, as well as health concerns, we all now face uncertain job security and isolation to extents we’ve never experienced before. These are an obvious recipe for anxiety, and, as lockdowns continue, unease only looks set to grow.
To make matters worse, some of us are slipping into habits that look set to hasten the decline. With that in mind, we’re going to talk you through three of the best things you can do to free yourself from the pandemic anxiety spiral at last.
Find new ways to feel relaxed
Forget heading to a coffee shop or local yoga class when you feel overwhelmed; most of us are now having to deal with lives led entirely indoors. Hence why our first point is to find new, housebound ways to help yourself relax. This could be an in-house coffee maker or online yoga classes if those used to work for you. Or, you may want to try something totally new, like essential oils of the calming products available from Vive CBD. Even something as simple as a new, mindful hobby could bring you down to a level you once took for granted. Simply try a few things out until you settle on something that works for you.
Limit your news consumption
Even those of us who haven’t done so before are now subscribing to news websites, and getting push notifications to our phones. The trouble here is that, aside from cranking anxiety up a few notches, checking the news every ten minutes achieves very little. Of course, you’ll want to know about the latest regulations, but you can do this by reading the headlines once. Other than that, keep news well off your radar to avoid spiraling panic that you can’t control.
Stick with facts, not speculation
We’re living in an uncertain time, at the moment, and it’s all too easy to slip into speculation or let outside opinions push you in that direction. This is about the worst thing you can do for your headspace, as it leads you down endless routes with no hope in sight. And, let’s be honest, we’re already dealing with enough uncertainty! Hence why, instead of letting yourself worry about every pandemic possibility, you should stick to the facts as you know them. New research is, after all, coming to the fore every day, and it’s sure to paint a much more realistic and calming picture than those worries at the back of your mind.
These are tough times, and the way you’re feeling right now is entirely normal. Still, high levels of anxiety are the last thing you need right now, so make sure that you work to tackle the problem before it gets out of hand.
