Hold My Coronavirus:: Calming the Fears

Between the recent Houston flood and the Coronavirus pandemic, people are on edge. Scarcity, uncertainty, and our health are all at the top of the list of things that bring humans significant anxiety. If you are like me, you are tired of being inundated with information {and misinformation} about the Coronavirus.

For me, the scariest part is not the virus itself, but the mass hysteria that fear has been causing individuals. Mass hysteria is when a group of people or culture all have a common fear which then fuels a panic. This is not to say that the Coronavirus is not cause for concern, but the more the media puts out about it and the more people collude about their worries, the bigger the anxiety and fear grow. And from fear can come irrational decision-making. 

Hold My Coronavirus:: Calming the Fears

5 Ways to Calm the Hysteria and Your Own Fears

1. Limit your Television/Media consumption.

There’s a way to be informed, but not consumed. While every place we go now has something regarding the Coronavirus, reading or viewing things constantly about it is not going to help anything. If you do view the coverage of the virus, here are some tips on ways to do this with perspective. 

2. Find what you can control in your life.

Learning what we can control in a world where nothing feels in our control is an important life skill, as most things are out of our control. With this current epidemic, you can control making sure you wash your hands appropriately. You can control wiping down door handles and other commonly used surfaces. You can control taking care of your health by eating healthy and exercising. You can take your daily vitamins. You can stay home if you begin feeling sick. 

3. Continue to support businesses.

The biggest hit with this recent epidemic is to the economy and with the fear, people will spend less and stop attending events, giving places less business. Whether or not you own a business, this will potentially impact the economy in a big way, which will in turn impact each one of us. If you are feeling worried about shopping, order your groceries online to be delivered. Stick with online purchases. Contact the stores you frequent and ask them what they are doing to help to prevent the spread of infection. 

4. Don’t hoard supplies.

We are all worried about possible lengthy quarantines. The reality is if we all took what we need, instead of fearing we won’t have enough for ourselves and our families, then we would each have enough. Especially keep this in mind if you are relatively healthy, young, and are not immunocompromised. Save some for these individuals who may need it more. If you have bought extra, share with your neighbors, especially in Houston where we have a spirit of giving and supporting each other when times get tough, like we did with Harvey.

5. Increase your support.

If you are feeling additional stress and are finding that your Coronavirus worries are beginning to interfere with your day to day functioning, such as difficulty sleeping, excessive worry, increased irritability, difficulty concentrating; it may be helpful to talk to a mental health professional. Mental health professionals are trained to deal with crises, stress management, and critical incidents. And now with technology, you don’t even have to leave home to see a therapist. Most therapists now offer services like telehealth where you can meet with your therapist from a secure web-cam based service from the comfort of your own home, further minimizing spread of any illnesses. 

Want More Coronavirus Resources? 

The American Psychological Association has put out some great information and resources for the Coronavirus pandemic, including how to talk to your kids about the virus. 

Are you dealing with fear or anxiety surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic? What steps are you taking to take care of yourself? 


Need more quarantine resources? Check out Houston Moms’ Ultimate Guide to Quarantine Resources! 

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Jessica E
Jessica has been a bit of a nomad, moving constantly growing up. It was during her time in undergrad at University of Houston {Go Coogs!} that she planted some roots and proudly has called Houston home for the past 20 years. Somewhere in these 20 years, she received her Master of Science in Counseling, became a licensed professional counselor, married her best friend, and had a very spirited, independent daughter {September 2017}. Jessica is best known for her hustle, her resourcefulness, and forever searching for this elusive thing in life we call balance. She is a bubble tea addict so you can most likely find her at various Teahouse locations working on her growing mental health private practice, Ajana Therapy & Clinical Services in Montrose. She is passionate about mental health, especially related to maternal mental health, as her own birth and postpartum were pretty traumatic. Jessica and her clinicians write about various mental health topics on their blog and on Instagram @ajanatherapy.

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