When disaster strikes, especially on a global scale, it can be hard to escape all the negativity in the news and on social media. This is especially true for a crisis like the coronavirus pandemic, which is impacting everyone in one way or another through shelter-in-place orders and the devastating impact on the economy. With anxiety mounting as more jobs become affected, it\u2019s important to find ways to refocus, destress, and remind<\/a> ourselves that there\u2019s hope and happiness in the world\u2014even during this pandemic. Here are 10 things to do when you feel anxious or scared about world events.<\/p>\n Social distancing is a vital part of fighting COVID-19, but that doesn\u2019t mean you have to cut off all contact with the outside world. Having a social support network<\/a>, which is a group of people you know you can rely on when times get tough, is proven to lower your anxiety levels and help you feel safer. Whether you\u2019re sharing your anxieties with someone you trust or simply letting loose and having a bit of fun, your friends and family are some of your best resources in the fight against anxiety. This effect isn\u2019t diminished by distance\u2014there are plenty of ways you can reach out to your loved ones with technology, from video chatting to hosting a virtual game night online using services like Jackbox Games. If you\u2019re quarantining with your family, set aside time to do fun activities with them.<\/p>\n When it comes right down to it, we\u2019re all creatures of habit\u2014even the most spontaneous of us have some form of routine. Routines make us feel safe and comfortable, so establishing one at home can help relieve those anxious feelings. Try to start each day on a positive note with a calming morning routine that helps you feel prepared to take on the day. You should also ensure that there\u2019s at least one area of your home where you feel safe, comfortable, and relaxed; even if you have kids taking over the house with school canceled, claim a reading nook or art space for yourself and carve out time to go there each day and unwind.<\/p>\n Caffeine is liquid energy in a cup, but it can actually worsen your anxiety. This is because it causes your body to release adrenaline, giving you a boost of energy. But adrenaline is also involved in your fight-or-flight response, so too much caffeine can make you jittery, restless, and downright anxious. If you\u2019re already feeling anxious, it\u2019s smart to cut back on how much caffeine you\u2019re drinking\u2014you may even want to switch to decaf until your daily anxiety levels have returned to normal.<\/p>\n All exercise helps lessen anxiety<\/a> and improve your mood, but yoga is particularly great for anxiety because it places an emphasis on mindfulness and meditation. As an added bonus, it\u2019s easy to tailor the movements to your individual capabilities while still getting a surprisingly good workout, and you can do it at home without any specialized equipment.<\/p>\n Life doesn\u2019t pull its punches, so you\u2019ve likely experienced\u2014and survived\u2014challenges before. Chances are you emerged from those challenges stronger, becoming a better person or gaining experience that\u2019s allowed you to better help yourself or others. No matter how hopeless circumstances may seem now, remind yourself that this crisis won\u2019t last forever and that you\u2019re more than capable of weathering this storm.<\/p>\n Even though reading the news reports might make you anxious, having access to accurate facts\u2014even if they\u2019re alarming\u2014is better than not knowing. If you don\u2019t educate yourself on the realities of COVID-19, you\u2019re vulnerable to falling for inaccurate articles that are designed to get more clicks by fueling anxiety with dramatic claims. If you ignore the news altogether, you risk your imagination running wild if you don\u2019t know the truth. Our brains are wired to create worst-case scenarios, so you could inadvertently increase your own anxiety by imagining that the crisis is much worse than it actually is. Even when the truth is unpleasant, it\u2019s always best to know it; that way, you know exactly what you\u2019re facing.<\/p>\n While knowing the facts is incredibly important, being constantly bombarded with information can drive your anxiety levels up as well\u2014especially considering how doom-and-gloom the news can be. As a result, it\u2019s smart to limit how much exposure you have to it. Decide how much you can handle, and implement strategies such as checking in on the latest information at the end of each day, and then turning off the news. This will ensure that you\u2019re able to stay informed without being overwhelmed with constant reminders and gloomy predictions.<\/p>\n Finding an outlet for your nervous energy can go a long way towards easing your anxiety by occupying your mind and your body. You can take free classes online to learn new skills, go on a cleaning spree, or dedicate time to a hobby like writing, gardening, or painting. Giving yourself tasks like this will stave off boredom and anxiety while shelter-in-place orders remain in effect.<\/p>\n If you have pets at home, spending a little extra time playing with or cuddling them can relieve your anxiety\u2014and your pet will love all the attention! Many studies<\/a> have confirmed that pets reduce anxiety, depression, and loneliness while boosting your mood. If you don\u2019t have a pet at home but have extra time on your hands, you may want to consider fostering a cat or dog. They\u2019ll ease your anxiety while you help them find a forever home, and it\u2019s uplifting to be a force of positive change in the world, even in a small way.<\/p>\n Resist the temptation to compare your reaction to this world event to the reactions of other people. While everyone has been affected to some extent, some people are impacted more than others; losing a job, for example, gives the crisis a much bigger punch than it does for someone who is able to telework. Outside factors like a failing marriage, chronic health issues, moving, or the death of a loved one will also make another blow like COVID-19 and its consequences hit that much harder, while it might be a blip on the radar of someone whose life is going great.<\/p>\n It\u2019s similar to how spilling your coffee isn\u2019t a big deal if you\u2019re having an otherwise good day, but it can be the last straw on days when everything is going wrong. Additionally, you can\u2019t know what\u2019s going on in other people\u2019s heads; they may look calm and confident when they\u2019re really terrified, so it\u2019s no use comparing yourself to them. Everyone handles crises differently, so remember that it\u2019s okay if you\u2019re not reacting the same way that others are; you don\u2019t have to feel ridiculous or guilty for feeling anxious\u2014or not anxious enough.<\/p>\n While world crises like COVID-19 can have far-reaching, anxiety-inducing consequences, you can take the reins back from your anxiety, lessening it and redirecting your remaining nervous energy in a positive way. Although these methods won\u2019t erase the stresses and difficulties you may be facing, they can help you handle them in a healthy, positive way<\/a>\u2014and emerge stronger as a result.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Finding hope and positivity during a crisis. When disaster strikes, especially on a global scale, it can be hard to escape all the negativity in the news and on social media. This is especially true for a crisis like the coronavirus pandemic, which is impacting everyone in one way or another through shelter-in-place orders and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":88,"featured_media":1352,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[23],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/monroefamilydentistry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1351"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/monroefamilydentistry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/monroefamilydentistry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monroefamilydentistry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/88"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monroefamilydentistry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1351"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/monroefamilydentistry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1351\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":205525,"href":"https:\/\/monroefamilydentistry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1351\/revisions\/205525"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monroefamilydentistry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1352"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/monroefamilydentistry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1351"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monroefamilydentistry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1351"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monroefamilydentistry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}1. Reach out to your loved ones.<\/h2>\n
2. Establish comfortable spaces and routines.<\/h2>\n
3. Cut down on caffeine.<\/h2>\n
4. Try practicing yoga.<\/h2>\n
5. Remember that you\u2019ve survived hard things before.<\/h2>\n
6. Go for the facts, not rumor or imagination.<\/h2>\n
7. Turn off the news.<\/h2>\n
8. Find outlets for your nervous energy.<\/h2>\n
9. Spend time with animals.<\/h2>\n
10. Remember that everyone reacts to challenges differently.<\/h2>\n