PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (March 20, 2020) – The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) may be stressful for some. Fear and anxiety can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Kayla M. Johnson, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist at Prairie View A&M University, offers a few tips to get through recently increased tension felt across the world.
What are the signs of anxiety?
“Anxiety” is anticipation of a future threat. It is our response to perceived danger. The keyword here is perceived, as what you perceive as danger may not be perceived as danger by someone else. Some classic symptoms of general anxiety include excessive worrying, difficulty controlling your worries or fears, poor concentration, difficulty sleeping, and physical symptoms such as fatigue, muscle tension, upset stomach, and restlessness.
Is it normal to have anxiety or expect to experience anxiety with a pandemic?
Believe it or not, not all anxiety is bad. For example, being somewhat anxious about an upcoming job interview may actually motivate you to adequately prepare for the interview. Likewise, being somewhat anxious about one’s health and well-being will likely encourage you to practice healthy protective behaviors like hand washing, covering your cough, and consulting with a doctor when you feel sick. Also, there seems to be some uncertainty about the course of this global pandemic in terms of how long it will last and the long-term effects we will experience months and years down the road. When there is a sense of uncertainty, it is difficult to have a sense of control and this can also cause anxiety. So, yes, it is quite normal and maybe even adaptive in some cases to feel some anxiety about your health, especially in the midst of a global pandemic.
When is time to seek professional help?
It may be time to seek professional help if your anxiety begins to interfere with your day-to-day functioning, social life, work/school demands, relationships, or other important aspects of your life. Be mindful that our day-to-day functioning may already be negatively impacted by the unexpected changes we are having to make to our daily routines. That is enough to cause just about anyone to feel some distress. However, if you are so panicked and worried that you cannot sleep or focus on your work or your family or other important parts of your life then it may be time to talk to a professional helper like a counselor, social worker, or psychologist.
What are coping strategies for an individual? What about for those in a family with different age groups?
In general, you can cope with anxiety by making changes to your behaviors, your thoughts, and your feelings. Our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are all connected so if you make positive changes in one of those domains you will likely see positive changes in the other domains. For example, you can make positive changes to your thinking by identifying and challenging your negative thinking patterns. Avoid trying to predict the future, jumping to conclusions without sufficient evidence, or imagining the worst possible outcome. You can make positive changes to your feelings by actually acknowledging them and being accepting of how you feel. If your feelings become too overwhelming for you, you can engage in positive coping behaviors like deep breathing, meditating/praying, or distraction techniques like coloring, journaling, or talking to a trusted person over the phone. Children and teens will learn how to engage in these coping skills if these skills are modeled for them by the important adults in their lives like parents and caregivers. Children and teens also thrive when there is a sense of safety and predictability. Creating a routine for them and setting expectations while they are home from school will help them feel more secure and less anxious. Also, create a safe and non-threatening space for them to share what they may be thinking and feeling. Most importantly, listen to their concerns and do not minimize or invalidate what they are experiencing.
Since we’re in the early stages of the pandemic in America, what long-term advice would you offer?
Kayla M. Johnson, Ph.D.
First, avoid obsessing over the news and be mindful of where you are getting your information from. It is very easy to get caught up in the news or stories we see on social media. It is okay to unfollow certain feeds on social media or turn off notifications from news apps, especially if the content from these sources is causing you distress and panic. Second, take care of yourself. Do what you need to do to maintain a sense of safety and control. Stick to a routine, get enough sleep, and stay connected to positive, life-giving people. Third, be kind to yourself. Living through a global pandemic is a new experience for some of us. We are all having to adapt and make tough decisions. It is okay to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and unsure. It is okay to not know the answer sometimes. Most importantly, it is okay to ask for help when you need it.
Kayla M. Johnson, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist for Prairie View A&M University Student Counseling Services.