How can I reduce my anxiety levels during this pandemic?

How can I reduce my anxiety levels during this pandemic?...Five things to do now!

How can being fearful stop me from being centered? It is a first for a majority of us, living through a world-wide pandemic. In light of the Shelter in place order announced across the country we find people leaning more and more on teletherapy and spiritual counseling. Christian Therapist on Demand continues to be available to serve. There are ways we can begin to address our own anxiety levels, one way is to think outside of yourself. Consider the following:

Call to Action

1. Check on your neighbors or older members in your church.

If you have neighborhood groups, post your contact info, and tasks you are willing to help with, such as, if you have an elderly neighbor you can see if they need something picked up from the store.

2. Disconnect

Turn off the "bad news" and get into the good news and spread hope. Turn off social media, if not limit its use by scheduling the time you spend on social media and watching the news. Just be careful that its not first thing in the morning or right before going to bed as these times are when you are in your mostly highly suggestive mental state. Safe guard these times, as they are great opportunities for meditation and prayer.

3. Reconnect

Pick up the phone & call or zoom, or Facetime with 3 people you care about. Check on your elders. Check on your friend’s elders. For those around us who are less technologically connected, find a bridge to them. Actually call them on the phone. Ask for a recipe, share your kid’s daily antics. The conversation doesn’t matter. Talk to them for 20 mins or more about something other than coronavirus (or politics).

4. Complete a task

Get up and get dressed, make your bed, its important for your mental health to start the day with a completed task no matter how small. Completing tasks gives us a dopamine hit that makes us feel good.

5. Focus on What You Can Control

When life feels so uncertain, it is important to remember that there are still areas in our lives that we can control.

  • Our thoughts are completely within our control, and despite all the negativity bombarding us from the constant news updates we can choose to have positive thoughts.
  • We can control how often and where we are receiving our news updates.
  • Although with some limitations, we can control the personal precautions we take within our given environments to manage our personal safety (i.e. using hand sanitizer, hand washing practices, cleaning our work spaces, etc.).
  • We can control how we interact with others.
  • And we can choose to be kind to one another.
  • Take action When life starts to feel heavy. Walk around the block. Put your feet in the grass. Hike. Reconnect. Just stay 6+ feet from anyone on the trail. You’re in charge of your mental and physical space.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe