COVID-19 has forced most of us to stay indoors. It is a worldwide pandemic and the situation that we are in is very challenging. We feel powerless and anxious. It is also frightening. We have been reading as much as we can about the virus. The uncertainty on what will happen next is difficult to handle especially for people with anxiety. How do we manage our fear and anxiety? Here are some tips on how to survice home quarantine anxiety.
Be informed.
Social media keeps you informed and misinformed. Fake news and sensationalized headlines flood your timeline. It is important that you filter what you read, watch and share. You could also be spreading information that feeds fear.
Make sure that you only follow trustworthy sources. You also need to avoid constantly monitoring the news the whole day. Government agencies such as Department of Health provide virtual presser on updates regarding the COVID-19 situation at certain time of day. When you feel overwhelmed, stay away or limit your media consumption.
Stay connected with people.
We are advised to practice social distancing to avoid spreading the virus. There are COVID-19 positive who are asymptomatic and the best that we could do right now is to refrain from physical contact. While we are under home quarantine, it is still possible to stay connected with people. You can stay in touch with friends and family by video chatting. It is also the best time to experience once again talking for hours on the phone just like the old times if you have a landline.
But don't let coronavirus be the only topic you talk about. Share recipes, talk about the latest Netflix series you both been watching, or reminisce about the fun times you had together.
Keep busy.
Have you been too caught up with your daily routine that you cannot find time to do the things you enjoy? Read that book that has been lying idly for years in your shelf. Finish old projects you've started. Or may be start learning a new craft or hobby. It doesn't matter what you want to do as long as it will keep your mind off the coronavirus.
It is natural to experience anxiety especially when we don't know how bad things may get and how long we will be on home quarantine. This crisis is new for all of us. What is important is for us to focus on the things that we can control. That is reducing the risk of contacting the COVID-19 to protect us and our loved ones.