Here are five ways to deal with extreme COVID anxiety

The case of a mother in Gurugram locking herself up with her child may seem like an extreme manifestation of pandemic-related anxiety. However, Dr Kamna Chhiber says many of us may remain preoccupied about small or minor concerns, engage in multiple safety behaviours to protect ourselves and others around us

In the minds of most people, the pandemic is no longer existent in the way that it was when it first emerged and the various waves occurred (Source: Pixabay)

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In the last few years, through the course of the pandemic, most people have experienced varying levels of anxiety and worry about contracting the illness themselves or seeing their loved ones affected by it. There have been doubts about the ability to take care of one’s well-being and widespread concerns about what measures can be undertaken in order to protect the self and others. This has not been the first time in the history of mankind that an illness has led to the emergence of widespread anxiety and fear or caused people to take extreme measures in order to find ways to protect themselves. Some of these have been long-lasting, preventing people from resuming normal rhythms of life.

In the minds of most people, the pandemic is no longer existent in the way that it was when it first emerged and the various waves occurred. Nevertheless there continues to be some amount of anxiety regarding whether it might re-emerge in the big way than it did previously and to most people, the worry about contracting it again continues to be a big reality that they harbour in their minds. The extent to which these concerns exist certainly vary for people and there are numerous reasons for the same.

Those who experienced significant challenges, struggled to cope with and find good medical care, and had to navigate multiple roadblocks towards being able to protect themselves or their family members, are more likely to be vulnerable to experiencing greater continued anxiety.

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Those, whose lives got substantially disrupted and experienced a great loss of lives around them, are likely to be more impacted and wary of finding themselves in the same situation. For many, there was great economic and financial loss and much had to be curbed in the ways in which they were living their lives. All of these factors together can continue to impact the ways in which people look at and experience COVID-19 to be even today. So the waning pandemic shapes the ways in which they think and respond to potential as well as real threats within their environment.

It is important to understand that in a situation in which there may not be a significant threat, a person can still experience anxiety and apprehension about contracting COVID-19 again.

They may stay preoccupied about small or minor concerns, engage in multiple safety behaviours to protect themselves and others around them. These can also become excessive and potentially lead to multiple visits to doctors and the solicitation of different tests to verify whether one has contracted the infection or not. In such a situation, finding ways of being able to take care of one’s mental and emotional well-being is imperative. These include:

(1) Build a good support system: Surround yourself with those who share accurate information, are calm and considerate in the ways in which they respond to your experiences.
(2) Actively relook at and reframe negative thoughts: It is important to move away from your tunnel vision where the focus is only on those aspects which confirm your beliefs.
(3) Try to ensure that the avoidance of feared situations is averted. Avoidance tends to increase anxiousness.
(4) Focus on maintaining routines and encourage yourself to engage in daily tasks and chores and steadily build on the same over time.
(5) Talk to experts to get the right information, gain an understanding of what is happening, actively work towards modifying your thoughts and beliefs and taking care of your well-being. Break down anxiety-provoking activities into smaller steps like stepping out into social spaces.

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An illness-related anxiety can significantly impact the life of any individual. If a person’s quality of life and functionality are getting affected, seeking help at the earliest is important. The support of those who surround you is critical in such situations.

(Dr Chhiber is Clinical Psychologist, Head, Mental Health, Dept of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Healthcare)

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