How To Handle Anxiety And Depression During The Coronavirus Outbreak

We’re all struggling with uncertainty and fear, at least to some degree, as we navigate coronavirus and this hectic time. If you’re already struggling with mental health, especially with anxiety or depression, you may be feeling especially fearful in light of COVID19. For many, saying the world has been turned upside down is not an exaggeration and any underlying mental health concerns or diagnosis’ can become all the more debilitating. If you don’t have an underlying mental health condition, you may also be feeling some degree of anxiousness, depression or even feeling a bit out of control.

It’s a natural response to have fear, anxiety and depression when faced with uncertainty. When we’re thinking about mental health, it’s important to stay informed but it’s also crucial to unplug. Taking too much in everyday can be detrimental.

“It’s almost like a chemical bath. We just put that on us over and over again and we don’t get better. In fact, we get worse. So it becomes really important for all of us, especially people who struggle with anxiousness, is to realize the battle field is for our mind,” said Clinical psychologist Dr. Jeannie Whitman.

Whitman says fear limits us and depression and anxiety can be isolating to begin with.

“So we want to be aware of things that make us sick. And, that’s isolation. That’s staying in our head and letting that fear grow instead of reaching out. We need to remember some lessons from 9/11. Although it’s a different type of fear, it’s the same hardwire fear. We are resilient people. We are people who can learn from our experiences and survive.”

She reiterates while it’s important to follow the news and especially what’s happening in your own community, it’s imperative to unplug from time to time to focus on you.

“Is what I’m telling myself feeding me? Is it nourishing me? Or, is it getting me stuck? Is there any light in this? What do I know about what I can do to help me? What can I focus on that I want instead of what I fear?”

According to Whitman, it’s the regulation of our thoughts of what we can and what we can’t control, “and it’s the understanding of our emotions that we’re going to feel fear. We’re going to feel emotions. Those are hardwired in us. But, not let them drive. What do we do instead?” She says this thinking also helps lower stress and boosts the immune system.

Whitman adds we should try to focus on what we can to neutralize our fears.

“It doesn’t say we won’t have them [fear, stress and anxiety]. It tells us how we need to live in the moment instead of live so far ahead. We certainly can’t control the future, but we do have our now.

You'll find the full interview below...