By Stephen Russell-Lacy.
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A lot of people can’t help wondering, ‘What if I get the coronavirus and am bedbound?’ ‘Who will do what is needed?’ ‘What if the economy doesn’t recover?’ ‘Will I have a livelihood?’ No sure answers are possible. No-one knows how long the pandemic will last and how widespread covid-19 will be. Coronavirus anxiety is when our fearful thoughts get out of hand without going anywhere. We end up going round in circles and so have sleeplessness and nervous tension.
Someone said, “Worrying doesn’t take away tomorrows troubles – It takes away today’s peace.”
It is realistic to be concerned about the current pandemic. But how can we find some relief from coronavirus anxiety? Here are 5 suggestions.
1. Follow guidance about coronavirus anxiety from W.H.O.
The World Health Organisation say we could engage in healthy activities that we enjoy and find relaxing. Exercise regularly, keep regular sleep routines and eat healthy food. Minimize watching, reading or listening to news about Covid-19. Too much exposure is likely to cause us to feel more distressed. Best to seek information updates at a specific time only, once or twice a day.
They also suggest we use information only from trusted sources and mainly so that we can take practical steps to prepare our plans and protect ourselves and loved ones. Get the facts; not rumours and fake news.
2. Challenge logical errors triggering coronavirus anxiety
One way we might be jumping to conclusions. This logical error can amount to turning an innocuous piece of information into a catastrophe. To the very worried person going to the shops can be equated with a risk of death. Just because a loved one queues in a shopping line; it doesn’t mean they will not be observing social distancing. And even if they cannot do this because of the behaviour of others, they need not necessarily get infected. If infected, they may not develop any symptoms or any serious symptoms. Just because they sadly did become ill, it doesn’t follow they will need hospitalisation. Again, not all hospital cases tragically die of the disease.
No longer add to our anxiety by exaggeration. We make a mountain out of a mole hill if we see symptoms of a common cold as the dreaded covid-19 infection. Or perhaps inflate the chances of catching the infection by interpreting the statistics about new cases to show a probability higher than the experts reckon.
Notice any tendency to overgeneralise. For example, if we assume that because one member of our neighbourhood dies of covid-19, then we all will have a serious risk of death too. This is overgeneralising from the specific case to everybody.
Use self-reflection. It’s a good idea to catch ourselves out making these errors of thinking. But it requires careful observation of our own thinking. This is because much of what enters and clutters up our minds is automatic. So habitual that it passes unobserved. Mindfulness meditation can help bring about needed self-awareness. Through it, we can learn to observe our coronavirus worry in an objective way. Without rushing to judgment but retaining a balanced perspective. Focusing awareness on the present moment, while calmly observing feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. This discipline enables one to take an emotional step back from what is going on around oneself. Then we can examine our thoughts in the light of day and challenge them if unrealistic.
3. Challenge unreasonable beliefs.
One unreasonable assumption is things shouldn’t be as they are. More reasonable is to face reality fair and square. We can only do what we can do. In one scene of the film Zulu, the native African’s surround a small group of British soldiers at Rorke’s Drift. They face being killed. A young private voices his fear and disbelief: ‘‘Why is it us, why us?’’ A sergeant looks over, and replies, as if this were self-evident: ‘‘Because we’re here lad.’’ The experienced man was not asking for passive resignation but implying that, when we are realistic about what is going on, then we give ourselves some sort of chance to make the most of the situation by taking whatever action we can.
What we can do in our troubling times is to keep to social distancing, and if vulnerable staying at home and relying on others to do our shopping. Once we have considered the problem, there’s no point worrying about it further. For when we worry, it is as if we believe that by worrying about some event, we can somehow stop it happening. But this is palpably untrue. We can only do what we can do.
It is also unreasonable to expect to know what will happen in the future. This applies to coronavirus as anything else. Uncertainty has always been built into the fabric of life. It doesn’t matter what is our situation, there is always lack of knowledge about what tomorrow will bring. And things not going as predicted is inevitable. That’s the case for all of us. Also we need to accept we can’t always get what we want – good health and a long and prosperous life included. If we were to accept the possibility of failure, of loss and even pain, then we could face the unknown future without insisting it follow our best laid plans.
4. Call to mind deeper perceptions about life
Focus our daily thought on what we see as good and true in life. This is constantly trying to raise the mind above short-term, superficial and external matters. We shouldn’t be surprised if this involves struggling and wrestling with fundamental issues. However, if we find meaning and purpose in our circumstances, we can gain a sense of encouragement and hope that takes away the extremes of nervous worry. People sometimes re-orientate their lives in terms of what they come to see is of lasting value after experiencing life-threatening illness or a near death experience.
Recall to mind that there is a universal healing force that can combat the virus. This is shown for example by the naturally occurring healing of grazed skin, and recovery from the common cold. Hence the old medical adage ‘the healing power of nature’. Vulnerable people have a weakened natural resilience for example due to damage to their immune system. And so, this healing force doesn’t always win the battle repelling invading microbes. Yet, if we are not suffering additional medical disorder that saps the bodies defences, there is a reasonable chance, in most cases that left to itself covid-19 will run its course and the body will get well naturally.
Try to set aside time each day to try to create quiet and stillness. Perhaps through reading sacred writing, meditation or prayer. Spiritual writers contend that being in a state of higher consciousness sets aside worry. They suggest that it involves re-connecting with the values we deeply hold. Those of a spiritual orientation report that a sense of calm can be experienced as a ‘place’ deep within oneself. At the same time, it is also felt as an in-flowing cosmic presence from beyond our individual self. This probably sounds a bit odd if you are not of a religious persuasion. But this brief time replaces the anxiety-laden preoccupations of the moment.
5. Seek help for coronavirus anxiety
In the end if we are really troubled coronavirus anxiety then we may not be able to tackle this alone. We might see a professional therapist for emotional help for our fears – perhaps on-line. A good counsellor listens to us as we pour out our worries and concerns. Without judging us. But with empathy for how we feel. Not by telling us what to do but by pointing our consequences of our attitude and offering insights.
Alternatively, we could enter an inner dialogue with what I refer to as our divine counsellor. Perhaps this ‘higher power’ is conceptualised as a spirit guide, or the Christ-within or the Spirit of God.
I would say that praying can lead religious believers to think about their lives in a different way for example by ‘putting on the mind of Christ’. In other words, they feel that seeing their own fears and worries in the light of their image of what is truly wise and compassionate takes them out of themselves and raises their spirit to a higher level of peace and calm.
“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Jesus Christ)
Copyright 2020 Stephen Russell-Lacy
Author of Heart, Head & Hands Swedenborg’s perspective on emotional problems
