Anxiety in today’s world
I work with many women who come into my office feeling anxious. That’s because life is complicated, and complications provoke anxieties. From social relationships to work obligations to effective parenting, it’s all hard.
For children, time works in a linear fashion. We wake up each day and move forward from there. For adults, it sometimes feels like times goes in a circle. One second we’re in the present, the next second we’re back in our childhoods, experiencing our highs and and our lows as if it were yesterday. These memories come to us, they nag us, and oftentimes they hold us back. We worry both about what could’ve been and what’s going to be.
Today, our anxieties might be from what happened to us in the past. But they’re also probably living alongside what’s happening in the present. Feeling all these feelings at once is immensely stressful. After all, we’re dealing with an invisible boogeyman with COVID-19. To me, this virus feels like the plot in a movie we can’t fast-forward. If you’re feeling this heightened anxiety, know that you’re not alone. You should also know there are a few things you can do to help you cope, whether it’s the middle of the day or the middle of the night.
TAKE THOSE DEEP BREATHS
Take those deep breaths I wrote about in a previous post. If you’re unable to focus on that, listen to an app like Calm that can help you quiet your mind.
CREATE A POSITIVE ENDING
This is especially helpful for visual thinkers. When you begin thinking about something that feels upsetting and you can feel yourself growing anxious, change the ending in your head. Imagine the story ending positively and focus on that positive ending.
FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN CHANGE
We might not be able to control COVID-19, but we can make decisions that help protect us. For example, stay home. Simple to say, but for many, it has been excruciating. Make a list of activities you can and need to do, from the chores you’ve been putting off to the TV shows you’ve been wanting to watch.
The days are long now, but this time of uncertainty, anxiety and social distancing will end. Taking a few deep breaths a day can make it a little easier to get through it.
Robin Maier is a licensed clinical social worker who uses a gentle therapeutic approach to guide women in every stage of life toward greater happiness
