Mental Health 

How COVID-19 Intensifies The signs of Anxiety

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Anxiety affects 40 million adults in the usa alone. This really is about 18 percent of the population who has some kind of panic attacks, which range from; Generalized Panic attacks, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder(OCD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD), and much more. As Covid-19 continues to be a prevalent a part of life, affecting everyone in several ways, individuals with anxiety are taking a significant hit. During 2023, many have felt “off” and not much themselves. This is because COVID-19 intensifies the signs and symptoms of tension, causing paranoia and fear to operate rampant globally as everyone attempts to learn how to deal with this pandemic.

Escalating Anxiety

Mid-March of 2023 happens when multiple states across the country locked down and advised everyone to quarantine. Consequently, many people felt isolated and lonely. During China's lockdown, a survey estimated that more than 20 % of respondents with a prior mental health condition felt their symptoms got worse. Not being able to see family and friends can be quite devastating for someone who already suffers from some sort of panic attacks. Without work or school to distract people using their anxieties, then they sit home and also have their anxiety dominate. Below are ways that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said that COVID-19 can affect someone with anxiety.

  • Fear and worry about your own health and the healthiness of your loved ones, your funds or job, or lack of support services you rely on.
  • Changes in sleep or eating patterns.
  • Difficulty sleeping or concentrating.
  • Worsening of chronic health issues.
  • Worsening of mental health problems.
  • Increased utilization of tobacco, and/or alcohol along with other substances.

The Uncertainty

Many individuals with anxiety can’t deal with the level of uncertainty that's happening using the world right now. Individuals with Generalized Panic attacks(GAD), have a tendency to consider the worst-case scenario. People fear; losing their job, losing a family member from the virus, and becoming sick themselves. Consequently, they are constantly thinking about how to deal with each one of these issues when they would arise. Constantly putting this type of mental strain onto oneself can be exhausting and stressful. Such stress can also cause physical symptoms, such as; stomachaches, headaches, and trouble sleeping.

How To Cope

There continue to be five months left until 2023, and with how 2023 continues to be to date, who knows what could happen for now. It is important for each person who is affected with anxiety to understand how to cope with COVID-19, and the remainder of this unpredictable year. Below are a few ways to help someone with anxiety deal with this pandemic.

  • Shift your concentrate on worry as to the you are able to control rather than what you cannot.
  • Limit just how much you watch and browse to daily for a few minutes, which is enough for need-to-know updates.
  • Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate.
  • Find people and resources you can rely on for accurate health information (this is particularly important with so much false information that is rotating on the web).
  • Connect with others who might be experiencing stress because of the outbreak. Have conversations regarding your feelings about the pandemic, share reliable health information, or just talk about things unrelated to the virus to better clear your face.

Keep Your face Up

Dr. Fauci is an American physician and immunologist who can serve as the director from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He states there might be a vaccine for COVID-19 by the end of 2023. That doesn’t mean things will go normal again immediately. Hopefully, it won’t take too much longer once the vaccine is released towards the public. If you think such as your anxiety has felt worse this year, you are not alone. Step Up For Mental Health provides virtual peer support group sessions that fluctuate on different subjects. I would advise registering for one of the multiple days that they have available. Many of us are capable of overcoming this intensified feeling of anxiety that COVID-19 has given us. We should not allow our fear and paranoia to determine how we will end the year.