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In the last session, we talked about panic management
Today, we will give examples of dealing with anxiety
Any kind of infectious outbreaks can cause stress & anxiety
This can be even worse when caused by a new disease
with an impact that is not yet fully understood at early stages
For example, every morning, Noora navigates social media for latest updates
She has even begun to try all the recipes she comes across
She feels anxious about her daughter, who looks afraid
Remember: Different people have different reactions in different situations
There are actions that we all can take to manage our own fear & anxiety
These are useful not only in the current situation
but also in all aspects of our lives
It is natural & common for people to feel tense & anxious when there is a spreading epidemic
The factors of stress in relation to the Coronavirus outbreak are:
1. Rumors & misinformation (social media)
2. Common symptoms of health issues that may resemble those of the virus
leading to fear of infection
3. Lockdown of schools & activity places
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4. Restrictions on travel
5. Possible quarantine or isolation
6. Lower trust in government authorities & social networks
as seen in the media of some countries
7. Risks in visiting hospitals & health facilities
8. Worry about possible deterioration in existing health problems
(including mental health)
As explained in the last session on dealing with panic
here are some procedures that may alleviate
anxiety & fear during crises:
1. Get accurate information about the events that are out of our control
These events may cause us to feel helpless
or arouse or even panic
The most effective way to reduce our fear
is to augment our feeling of control
This can be done by:
Minimizing our exposure to video news stories
Getting accurate information from reliable sources
as in the case of the Coronavirus
2. Accept doubt
This means that lack of endurance & uncertainty
Are major factors in anxiety & stress
Persons with chronic anxiety cannot endure doubt
So, they should have a thorough idea of what is going to happen
An anxious person may feel secure to be anxious
But this is not true
Focusing on the worst-case scenario will not prevent bad things from happening
It will only prevent the anxious person from enjoying
the good things they have right now
As a way to manage this, begin to focus on the present
This will help to manage fears more effectively
3. Challenge worrisome thoughts
If a person has chronic anxiety
they likely view the world
in a way that makes it seem riskier than it really is
For example,
a person may overestimate the possibility of things going bad
or take every negative thought as if absolutely true
Such irrational & pessimistic perceptions are called Cognitive Distortions
Even though cognitive distortions are not based on reality
they are likely part of a lifelong way of thinking
This thinking may become so impulsive
that the person may not be aware of it
So, to break the habits of bad thinking
the mind should be re-trained to think of positive things
Start identifying negative thoughts
& explore as many details as you can about what makes you afraid or anxious
Stop anxiety by asking anxious thought questions
What is the evidence that this thought is right or wrong?
Is there a more positive & realistic way to look at the situation?
How much is it possible for what I fear to actually happen?
If it is unlikely, what are the possible results?
Is thinking useful?
How can anxiety help me with this?
What can I say to reassure a friend who has this anxiety?
4. Be aware of how others influence you
It is necessary to note that we are influenced by those
with whom we spend most of our time
We have to notice that they have a big influence on our state of mind
In such cases, take the following steps:
1. Write down in a notebook some of your notes & diaries about anxiety
A person may not be aware enough of the influence of others or situations on them
to manage to discover the prevalent pattern in their family or friends
so they feel it is normal
While it is not
At these times, every time you feel anxious
write down the thought & its impact
Over time, you will begin to see the patterns
2. Spend less time with those who make you anxious
There are people in our lives who drag us down
They make us feel under stress
Think of reducing the time you spend with such persons
or put limits to these relationships
For example,
you can determine or select some topics that you want to discuss with them
& avoid the topics that you know will raise their anxiety during discussion
3. Use the mental alertness training strategy “Mindfulness”
A recent study shows that 10 minutes of meditation practice per day
can reduce stress & anxiety
& help shift attention from inner fears
Towards better performing life tasks
Exercising medication just 10 minutes every day
helped 82 persons to shift their attention
from the inner fears around them
towards the external world
& enabled them to concentrate better
on the work they are doing
This suggests that training the mind to meditate
can have preventive effects for persons
obsessed with anxiety, overthinking & distraction
4. Learn to relax & breathe easily
This strategy can be used to calm yourself down quickly
We usually tend to breathe faster when we are anxious
This makes us feel dizzy
& even more anxious
Breathing easily involves taking slow & gentle breaths
Inhale through the nose
hold your breath
& then exhale through the mouth
Wait for seconds before taking another breath
5. Keep in touch & exercise your own spirituality
Prayer, meditation, yoga & other exercises
can help feel connected to a higher power
if this is meaningful to you
We hope you will keep these techniques in your everyday life
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
We elaborated on the definition & causes of anxiety
We gave practical anxiety management techniques for you to try first
As said, you have to take care of yourself first & then others
We will be waiting for you next session to talk about
stigma, its impact & how to deal with it
