How to Cope with Fear and Anxiety During the Coronavirus Pandemic

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Given all that’s going on right now, I thought I’d deviate a little from my normal posts and publish something particularly relevant and close to all of us. 

This isn’t exactly something that’s easy for me to talk about. I’m not a doctor or an epidemiologist, or any kind of expert on the coronavirus. However, as a psychologist and anthropologist, I think it’s more important than ever that we look for ways to build our mental stamina, nourish our bodies and minds, and find effective coping mechanisms for the inescapable fear and anxiety we’re all experiencing during this pandemic.

I think one of the most significant factors of the sudden stress and paranoia we’re experiencing is the fact that every aspect of our daily life and routines has been upended. Routines are what provide us with meaning and self-fulfillment on a daily basis. But when every single one of those routines is completely fractured by this pandemic and social upheaval, what are we to do?

Plus, with all of us under orders to “socially distance” ourselves from one another, finding ways to cope with fear and anxiety is more important than ever. Gone are our usual physical comforts of being around our friends and family, replaced with self-isolation and the consistently depressing, non-empathic news. It’s paramount that we safeguard our mental health during this crisis.

Fortunately, a lot of the basic tools we use to cope with stress and anxiety are hugely applicable to instances such as these, even on such a grand scale as a worldwide outbreak of disease.

Below are some tips to help manage your fear and anxiety during this global pandemic.

How to Cope with Fear and Anxiety During the Coronavirus Pandemic

1. Establish new routines ASAP. Perhaps your first routine of the day was breaking a sweat at the gym. However, with gym closures across the nation, this isn’t possible for a lot of us now. Find new ways to break a sweat, whether it’s going for a jog, a walk, or trying a new, at-home workout on Youtube.

2. Focus on what you CAN control. You may not be able to control what’s happening in the world right now, but you CAN control what you do amidst all these changes. Hand washing, cleaning your home, organizing your closets, trying a new ab workout on Youtube, reaching out to your friends and family via text or Facetime—there are a number of things you can do to feel more in control of your life. 

3. Find new ways to self-indulge. Maybe you like to splurge on a mani/pedi every month. Or maybe you had booked a massage for next week that you can no longer go to. Or perhaps your favorite froyo place just closed and you can no longer treat yourself after a strenuous gym session. Rather than lamenting all these losses, find new ways to indulge yourself.  Take a long bath. Try making a new desert at home. Order a new makeup product you’ve been eying for a while. Spoil yourself a bit!

4. Don’t buy into the panic. Emotions are contagious, like panic and paranoia. And with everyone around us seemingly panicking, whether it’s panic buying or rushing stores, it’s all too easy to buy into the feeling. However, just as negative emotions, like panic, are contagious, so are positive emotions, like awareness and kindness. More than ever, we need examples of what it means to be calm under pressure, and to show kindness–even when it appears to be in short supply.

5. Inform yourself, but don’t overdo it. It’s important that we stay abreast on the news right now, as it affects all of our lives. However, don’t overdo it. It’s easy to become increasingly stressed and afraid the more we watch, and overexposure like this is very much capable of wreaking havoc on our mental health. Watch a few news stories, and then cut yourself off. Better yet, consider watching only thirty minutes or less daily.

6. Look ahead. One of the underlying questions we all have is, “When is this going to end?” While I can’t give you a certain answer on this, I assure you that it WILL end. And when it does, what will you do differently? How will you move forward in a positive direction? Perhaps you’ll want to travel more. Or maybe you’ll want to spend more time with your family. Maybe you’ll want to get a higher degree, or just try a fun class at your local community college. Think of all the things you want to do or try, and look forward to them.