It’s nearly impossible to move about your day without someone mentioning the novel coronavirus. With over 1,200 confirmed cases and more developing every day, someone in your own community may be affected — and even those far away from affected individuals could be feeling the telltale signs of anxiety as offices, schools, and public events close for the foreseeable future. If you already have developed a hard knot of dread in the pit of your stomach — maybe it pops up when you’re scrolling social media, or walking past an empty grocery aisle — it’s important to note: leading mental health experts say this is actually a healthy reaction.
“I would say it’s very important to understand that if you’re anxious, it’s okay — you’re normal,” says Gail Saltz, M.D., an associate professor of psychiatry at New York-Presbyterian Hospital’s Weill-Cornell School of Medicine. “Because right now there’s a lot of anxiety-producing stuff going on. It’s evolutionary, normal, and healthy to have anxiety in reactions to things, with an appropriate level of concern.”
While you shouldn’t feel shame or concerned if you feel anxious during this time, Dr. Saltz also clarifies that, often, a person can easily elevate their concerns to a life-consuming level of anxiety that’s inhibiting altogether. “Here’s when I would be concerned: If your anxiety becomes way out of proportion to what’s going on … and it interrupts your ability to function, then it’s time to think about addressing it [with a professional],” she says.
If anxiety has turned into fear, feelings of helplessness, or panic in your everyday life (or for someone you love), there may be a few smart ways you calm yourself while staying adequately informed.
Acknowledge Your Anxiety, and Don’t Try to Deflect It
It’s an age-old reality, but the more you think about not doing something, the more likely you are to actually do it. Joseph McNamara, Ph.D., the co-director of the University of Florida’s Center for OCD, Anxiety and Related Disorders, says trying to deny any anxious feelings isn’t going to help you manage your stress later on. “Anxiety helps us to prepare and be safe. If we didn’t have any anxiety before a test, we wouldn’t study,” he says, alongside Megan Barthle-Herrera, Ph.D., an assistant professor in UF’s department of psychiatry.
Jeffrey Cohen, Psy.D, a clinical psychologist in the department of psychiatry at Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center, says being aware of your anxiety may also help you better manage it in future instances. “Practice tolerating uncertainty. The paradox is that the more we are unwilling to accept anxiety, the more our anxiety increases, so practice allowing anxiety to be present and remind yourself it is ok to feel anxious.”