These last few weeks locked at home and scared of an invisible enemy that could kill you has got many of us feeling very anxious about it all. And now there’s a proper name for it, if you care to know—pandemic anxiety.
Maybe you don’t know it yet, or you’re not acknowledging the anxiety for fear of inducing more anxiety from being anxious (yes, it happens). But psychological health should be taken seriously, so let’s take a look at some problems you may be experiencing right now and see what practical steps you can take to address them.
Sleeplessness
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that insomnia or other sleep-related problems are a manifestation of anxiety. Unfortunately, not getting enough sleep because of anxiety makes us even more anxious.
To address this, you need to be conscious of your before bedtime patterns which probably leads you to sleeplessness. Are you reading news about how many people have been infected by the coronavirus before sleeping? Not helping. It would be good if you can have a device-free hour before bedtime.
It would also help if you limit your caffeine intake before sleeping, and keeping your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet to promote a good restful sleep. Essential oils are good too, if you’re into those things.
Difficulty focusing
You could have a lot on your mind even if you’re just staying at home. You might be busy disinfecting your house and yourself after a grocery run, maybe you’re homeschooling your kids, or waiting for that virtual meeting with your boss.
“The brain can do only so much. When our attention is absorbed by coronavirus, we will have a harder time concentrating on anything else we are trying to do in the moment,” said Jonathan Abramowitz, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina.
To improve your focus, it would help to list your to-do’s for the next day and categorize according to importance. Make sure to give yourself breaks from time to time too, otherwise you might feel overworked instead of focused.
Forgetfulness
If you’ve forgotten to wear underpants this morning before going about your day, it could be a sign of anxiety. Kidding aside, if you have difficulty retaining relevant information you need for work or for your family, it could be your anxious brain sending you alert signals.
According to research, doing activities that help you relax can also help you remember more. So make the effort to do relaxation activities during the day, it could be as simple as listening to your favorite music or reading a book.
Irritability or anger
Are you having an off day because your kid suddenly decided to make your walls into his own personal canvass? Is steam blowing out of your ears because you can’t finish the Sudoku you’ve been working on? You’re starting to have anger management issues and it could be because your anxiety is fueling all these emotions.
Your relationship with everyone in your household while on lockdown could be affected if you don’t acknowledge your anxiety. If you find yourself getting angered easily by the smallest of things, learn how to distance yourself from the situation before acting on it. It will also be helpful to understand where your frustration is coming from, and analyzing objectively what you can do about it.