Lockdown Lessons #02: Coping with Corona Stress, Fear and Anxiety

Fears about corona virus pandemic can take an emotional toll and is more likely to trigger depression, anxiety, panic attacks and suicides. It’s the rare pandemic emergency situation which entire world is facing and the corona crisis has adverse effects on economy and will bring adversities, so it’s not just about corona virus directly held accountable for the causalities, it may indirectly trigger other causes which may affect health including psychological. The figures of rising contamination and corona positive cases is increasing daily worldwide and in this situation, it becomes quite obvious that due to panic of uncertain consequences coming up, one may face stress and depression. The ambiguity surrounding coronavirus and lockdown is the hardest thing to handle.

Cope Up Corona Stress – How?

While dealing with something so unpredictable, first and most important step is to be positive, stay engaged in activities rather than keeping occupied with negativities. It’s not necessary that you keep changing TV Channels and keep browsing the internet and Searching Google for Corona Cases, Corona News or Updates. You will receive the piece of information from multiple sources, edited and modified in each source to keep unique and appear as if its breaking news but the fact is you are just browsing and exposing yourself to negative thoughts several times, intensifying your panic and anxiety. Lockdown although is the possible solution towards controlling the number of cases and contamination spread, in absence of any vaccine or definite treatment procedure against corona virus, but repeated exposure to negative thought, keeping yourself in unconscious confused state of mind and idleness will bring psychological and behavioral complications.

Stress Management, Psychological Counseling and Suicide Prevention Helplines essentially need to be the secondary objective and protocol for Covid-19 Fight, as Anxiety being more deadly than the Corona Virus itself. While Government prepares any road-map it needs to essentially understand that Social Service needs not to be intermingled with Business and PR Stunt, else its very purpose gets defeated. So the NGO’s or Agencies handling the Covid Support needs to be checked for performances as during the pandemic, Plan, Its Implementation and Report Card needs to be in proper sync and match. A plan which is not implemented properly or is not evaluated for its effectiveness with a report card is actually a bad plan.

So what comes as plan or guidelines from Government are another thing, we must ensure that first aid, precautions and awareness saves many lives than what an actual medical treatment does, and it applies well with mental health, anxiety, depression, panic attacks and suicides too.

The Corona Stress or for that matter for any associated stress, reactions can appear in a variety of physical, psychological, emotional and behavioral ways for any given individual. So not only it will affect adversely the immunity but also going to create relationship issues and indirect long term effect on academics, career or performance

Stay Connected — Even when physically isolated

• Abide by Lockdown Restrictions in your City and Maintain Social Distancing as a Safety and Precautionary Measure towards Covid-19. But Keep Strictly Occupied with your Hobbies, Dreams, and Passion and stay connected with Positive Likeminded People on Whatsapp, Social Networks or Calls. Isolation and aloneness can aggravate anxiety and depression, and even impact our immunity as well as physical health.
• Social Media is a powerful tool which keeps us virtually connected with friends and people across world but it comes up with its own drawback, too many negative, politically motivated, biased opinions, fake news is delivered to your mind as the feed, which exposes you in pool of illusion and negativity sometimes. Don’t hesitate to filter your contacts and mute those negative feeds immediately as otherwise you are exposing yourself to more of negative social impact.
• Devote time to something which delivers you long term career objectives or learn a skill which indirectly contributes and expands your skill set. Don’t simply waste time in browsing through content which is created to attract the views as you are product to them and your time spent on that is the view time or impression to them, means indirect revenue. Its actually very disappointing that many social marketers create videos, content with little or no authenticity just keeping it sensational for the sake of their revenue, but you can’t change the world so change yourself.
• Spend time in your Hobbies (Dance, Singing, Arts, Gardening or any other form of Craft
• Take a pause. Interrupt the thought that’s causing stress and anxiety
• Get engaged in your favorite pastimes, Read Books, Watch Comedy (I still recommend here, avoid News), Play Indoor Games, Engage with Kids or Children at Home, Spend Time with Grand Parents and Listen to their Life Experiences, Create or Make Something – Painting, Craft, Recipe. Engage into Horticulture and Gardening and stay close with nature

Last but most important, appeal to everyone reading this, during the Pandemic – its National Emergency affecting lives of millions of people, many losing their loved ones while others losing jobs, work; It’s going to leave a long lasting impact on our economy, our minds. The world after Covid-19 pandemic may not be same as earlier. Don’t take it as Branding, PR or Business Opportunity on cost of health or life of others.
Spreading Fake News, Black-marketing, Hoarding of Essential Commodities, Hatred Posts — This shows still we are not Civilized or immature enough to be called and categorized as most Intelligent Creature of God

Not everyone around you is lucky to cope up with stress, hardships or fear so help others. Stress and Suicide follows no other rule-book or procedures except – Whenever you find someone puzzled or scared or unable to cope up, help them, listen to them and possibly motivate and guide them. Apart from Financial Help, Emotional Help and Psychological Support will bring miracles to person’s life in pain and sorrow.

Connect Ashu Gaur (Author, Influence Marketer and Business Consultant) on Whatsapp with your Query / Questions: +91-9821181341

Check Hindi Version of the Article: कोरोना के भय और तनाव से कैसे बचें