Dear Athena,
I’m feeling really panicked about the coronavirus. I can’t help feeling like everything is falling apart! I feel like the coronavirus has taken over my world. Everything is changing and I’m feeling out of control. How can I calm down?
~Panicked
Dear Panicked,
I would like to start by telling you that you are not alone. The panic that you are feeling is shared by many people, and it is only natural to feel anxious and overwhelmed during a crisis like this one.
However, I would advise you to try to not let the panic consume you. You may not be able to control what happens in the world, but you can control what you let into yours.
Of course, it’s important to stay informed and to take this pandemic seriously. Staying informed and knowing the facts can go a long way in easing the anxiousness that comes with uncertainty, but there’s a difference between staying responsibly informed and refreshing your news and social media feeds every five minutes.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the tension and panic that goes on around us. People are scared because their worlds are changing. Because we are social creatures, when we are scared, we want to tell everyone about it. We often see this in Facebook and Twitter posts when people are so overwhelmed and upset that they spread around as much information (true or otherwise) as they can.
My advice is for you to focus on the things that you can control. You can choose whether to read posts that induce panic and fear, or to simply keep up to date on the facts presented by a trusted news source. You can control your actions, such as following the protocol of the CDC to wash hands, maintain social distance, and stay home as much as possible.
Another way that you can prevent yourself from being consumed by the COVID-19 panic is by making sure that you nurture other areas of your life. It may seem like COVID-19 has changed everything, but you still have your hobbies, your schoolwork, and your friends. You can still listen to your favorite music, go on a walk, call a friend, play video games, or whatever else brings you comfort and happiness. Try to give these other areas of your life some focus and some love.
CODIV-19 is happening, we cannot control that, but we can control how we react to it. Please, treat this pandemic as the serious matter that it is, but also treat yourself with the care that you require.
Mental health is another extremely important factor in our lives, and just as we should all be extra careful to wash our hands, we should also all remember to take some deep breaths and do what we can to relax.
The combination of a crisis and social isolation can take a toll on one’s mental health. So I urge you to remember to reach out to loved ones, to continue doing the things that bring you joy, and to treat yourself and others with kindness and compassion during this stressful time.
There are so many beautiful things to be grateful for, try not to let life’s hardships consume your heart and your mind.
If you feel as though you need some additional guidance and support, I would like to remind you and your fellow students that (as long as you are not ill) Stan State’s free psychological counseling services remain available to you during this time.
I wish you good health (physically and mentally),
~Athena