Anxiety Management During Pandemic Days~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Flowers, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, Psychological Self Care, REVERIES, Tech Marvels

Many of us are experiencing emotional distress from the pandemic which can affect each of us in different ways, but often presents as increasing anxiety, worry, sleep disruption, feelings of helplessness, panic, and/or depression.

The shrieking headlines don’t help do they? So what can we do to manage these feelings and feel stronger emotionally and psychologically as we prepare ourselves to face the difficult days ahead?

As a psychotherapist who has practiced for many decades, I have some ideas that can help. So if you are interested, read on.

We are going to make a customized anxiety toolbox. One approach doesn’t work for everyone, pick and choose what feels right for you. Of course I’m including relaxing photos intermixed in this post because looking at positive images is an objective and powerful anxiety reducer. What you perceive influences how you think and feel.

ANXIETY TOOLBOX:

Self Talk Reframing (Cognitive Therapy)

Guided Imagination/Visualization

Exposure Management

Progressive Relaxation

Distraction in Action

Self Soothing

Spiritual Meditation/Prayer

Second Voice

Exercise, Diet & Good Health Practices

This topic will be broken up into separate posts, and start with Self Talk, Guided Imagination and Exposure Limitation. These are the tools I use most frequently to manage my anxiety. Yes, I have anxiety, and now pandemic anxiety, and I don’t like any of it, so I have learned over the years to better manage all of it.

Self Talk is one of your most powerful anxiety busting tools. It can be best understood through the ABC Model:

A: is an objective event that occurs (Covid 19 for example).

B: is what you immediately and silently say to yourself, sometimes many times a day, about this event, usually without conscious awareness (“Oh no, we’re in a high risk group, we’re gonna die, badly,” is my example). Insert your personal pandemic negative self talk here.

C: are the feelings that immediately arise in response to our self talk (Anxiety, pandemic preoccupation, worry and/or panic)

In this case my self talk was awfulizing , which is the tendency to assume the worst possible outcomes will happen to me or the people I love. I can challenge and change this self talk by making it more realistic. An example for me might be, “Stop thinking the worst. Most high risk people survive. You can take steps to improve your chances.”

I use self talk reframing in combination with guided imagination everyday. These are two of my most trusty tools and they work synergistically with each other to reduce anxiety, each making the other more effective. Like any learned skill, the more you practice it, the better you get at it.

Guided imagination is exactly what it says it is. When you are resting, napping, or going to sleep, don’t let your imagination run you. You run your imagination. Guide it to a place, a story, a visualization, that engages your mind, and is positive, happy and fun. Challenge yourself to come up with imaginative stories that involve you. This is wonderful for your mental and physical health. Make yourself a central character in your story. I have ongoing stories that I return to everynight before I fall asleep. I come up with new stories when the old ones start to lose interest.

This kind of guided imagination reduces stress hormone levels, aids sleep and reduces anxiety. It can even positively influence, or guide, our dreams which is beneficial to our mental and physical health. It is harnessing the creative power of your brain to control its own production. Long term prison inmates report using this technique to escape their cells and fly free. If they can do this, so can you and I.

And finally, reduce your exposure to news. Yes, it is important to stay well informed and safe, especially in a pandemic. But constant media onslaught can be psychologically overwhelming and add to an unhealthy level of anxiety. So take charge of the news in your own best interest. Consciously limit your exposure according to your best choice about how much you can absorb without becoming overwhelmed. This is truly important in managing your anxiety during pandemic times, and really at all times.

Switch from the news after you’ve had enough to stay informed, and read blogs or a book. Watch a movie. Look for positive imagery. Write blogs and stories. After all, you are bloggers! You have awesome creative imaginations. Use your imaginations in positive ways to help you, and your readers, stay on even keel during the coming stressful days.

Cheers & calm to you from me at The Holler~

Note: Australian birds in order, New Holland Honey Eater, Gouldian Finch, Superb Fairy Wren.

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438 thoughts on “Anxiety Management During Pandemic Days~”

  4. Dear Cindy,
    Thank you so much for this post. I know we all think differently, but one thing is true, we are concerned. All the best to you.
    Ranu

    Reply

    1. Yes. You got to the heart of the matter my friend and I thank you. We do think differently but this should not stop us from caring about each other. Love to you.

      Reply

  9. Pingback: Anxiety Management During Pandemic Days~ — (this is an amazingly beautiful post…don’t miss it) | Rethinking Life

  16. The photographs, as always, are fabulous, Cindy. But more importantly… this is such good, common-sense advice. I check the news once a day to stay informed… and then I don’t look again. I am in a high risk group and so are many of those I love. Worrying about ‘what if’ isn’t going to keep any of us safe, but practical measures to stay healthy, including getting enough sleep and minimising stress, will actually help.

    Reply

  17. Thank you Cindy for sharing your thoughts, advice and concerns. I hope and pray this pandemic Coronavirus will be something than can better unite us in spirit, in faith and in prayer than something more that divides us. God richly bless you and yours. Be blessed, be safe and be well.

    Reply

  20. Gorgeous photos (I kinda skipped the text because I don’t have any anxiety over the current health scare. I’m finding people’s stupidity amusing.)

    Reply

  22. Just an additional update on my life to share: I have had some recent declining health issues with the ongoing loss of eye sight due to advancing AMD and being treated for that as my doctors try to preserve eyesight in my right eye as the left has lost much of its vision. Also I have Rheumatoid Arthritis developing in my hands which has been painful and hard to type, etc., so have not been able to do a lot of posting and writing with my blog lately . I will continue to follow yours and enjoy all your wonderful pictures and travels as much as possible. Take care.

    Reply

    1. Oh, so difficult. I am so sorry Joyce. I wondered where you were. Thank you for letting me know what you are going through. Love, prayers and positive hopes are flying to you my friend. Take good care <3

      Reply

      1. Thank you Cindy. It is friends like you that is the very best part of being a part of a blogging community. Love you and take care also.

        Reply

  24. Beautiful post sweetie! I don’t watch the news which helps me! What is sad is the overall panic of people buying out everything in the store.

    Reply

  27. Thank you, Cindy. So nice to hear some hopeful and reasonable words amongst all the doomsday stuff. I’ll do my part by posting pictures of my new foster kittens…kittens are always good for a little feel-good dose!

    Reply
  28. Timothy Price

    Great advice. Beautiful photos. I’m one who doesn’t worry. I say take precautions, go on with life, and, like you, encourage people to remain calm, take precautions and go on with life. It’s sad the media has to sensationalize everything, and people in power have to politicize serious issues when everyone should work together to minimize risks. If the polarizing media and politicos would work with their perceived enemies, and encourage everyone to work together, people on all sides of the issues might discover that their enemies, and all the other people they find so undesirable are actually human beings, also. It’s really a sad state of affairs.

    Reply

    1. YES!!!
      “If the polarizing media and politicos would work with their perceived enemies, and encourage everyone to work together, people on all sides of the issues might discover that their enemies, and all the other people they find so undesirable are actually human beings…” We can see as this crisis unfolds how polarization harms each one of us. People working together, supporting each other, and respecting difference, is the only way to make something positive happen out of this crisis. Thank you so much for this Timothy. It is so important and so necessary. <3

      Reply

  30. Thank you Cindy – so kind of you. 🙂 I am away from my country right now and although the country I am visiting has contained a very small outbreak, it’s the return home that’s bothering me – airports and aircraft (even though the airlines are really upping the cleaning protocols – including my own – people are people).

    Reply

  32. Wow! You’ve got a couple of photos of 2 of my favourite Australian birds – the New Holland Honeyeater and the male Superb Fairy-wren. Thanks for sharing.

    I rarely watch the news and never realised how quickly the coronavirus had spread.

    Surprisingly, I don’t feel in the least bit anxious, Cindy. I just assume life will go on as normal for me. If I catch it, I catch it (the virus). So I’ll think about that eventuality if and when it arrives. In the meantime, I’m staying home as usual and following the Health Department’s instructions.

    I’d hate to be in the shoes of people in danger of losing their jobs or failing to meet their financial commitments.

    Reply

      1. Thanks Cindy. I wasn’t always like this. It’s just that I’ve lost so much ‘normal’ life that most people take for granted, I’ve learned to make do, simplify, be more appreciative of what I have, rather than wishing for more.

        Reply

  34. Beautiful, uplifting photos and sounds advice, Cindy. There are confirmed cases of Corona virus in the next town over from where I live. Life can’t stop, we just take precautions.

    Reply

        1. Yes, I have the same hope. I mean would you rather fight over toilet paper and presidential candidates, or take care of each other? One thing makes you feel worthwhile, and the other, terrified. Visualization is a secret strength in the toolbox of life. Love to you <3

          Reply

          1. Exactly! Well said, Cindy. And if it takes a pandemic to make us see this—well then God bless us! I first learned visualization in elementary school—theatre. Life-saving. Long distant love with wings to you too, Cindy! 💓 Nina

            Reply

            1. I love that, “Long distant love with wings!” If we learn to be kind to each from this pandemic, and to stop demonizing each other, then at least some good might come from it <3

              Reply

  36. Hi Cindy, thank you for your informative post, complemented with beautiful pictures, to help keep calm in this difficult time. I also find keeping a journal, and really just pouring all my thoughts there, very relaxing. I guess that falls under self-talk. I especially found the point about guided visualization very interesting, shall be sure to practice that. Regards.

    Reply

    1. Yes, journaling is a powerful tool, it helps to bring your thoughts and feelings into conscious awareness, where you can deal with them, rather than have them deal with you <3

      Reply

  41. Good advice and, yes, soothing photos. One of the things I tell myself when I’m faced with stress is that as long as I’m as prepared as I can be and I have a backup plan, I try not to worry about things that might happen, especially when they are out of my control.

    Reply

  46. Such beautiful birds! I agree with your psychology! In addition, I’m thankful that I have my faith and a knowledge of the gospel. It’s a strength and a comfort to know that God is in charge during times of trial — such as with this virus. God bless and stay safe!

    Reply

    1. Spiritual connection and faith are powerful strengths that enable us to look beyond ourselves. Faith can endure, even when very bad things happen to us. I know you have this strength Linda and I am happy you do. Love to you <3

      Reply

  47. Good soothing, balanced advice. I also like the controlled breathing practice- I do 4 seconds deep inhalation; count to seven, holding breath and exhale slowly to ten. The numbers can vary, but the lengths must be extended, according to your lung capacity. A few of these and I fall asleep again, if disturbed by anxious thoughts

    Reply

    1. Yes, this a version of progressive muscle relaxation. Similar to yoga. It works more and more efficiently the more you do it. I am glad you practice it. Be well my friend <3

      Reply

  49. Love the photos! Good advice, too, although I’m not anxious.

    I’m slightly put out by two weeks of working from home, but I’ve blocked out a schedule to keep normal working hours. I’m not using social media except on weekends, as per usual. Too much noise and rumor-mongering doesn’t help.

    Reply

    1. “Too much noise and rumor-mongering doesn’t help.”
      It certainly doesn’t help, and I don’t like it. After all if you make too much noise, you can’t see wild birds 😉 <3 Love you my friend.

      Reply

  50. My very own, being from the Rhineland and having lived in the Bonn/Cologne area for over 60 years, anxiety management is adhering to two paragraphs of the “Cologne Basic Law”. In the local dialect they would be
    – et kütt wie et kütt
    – et ess noch ömmer jood jejange
    Translated:
    – Things come as they come.
    – Things have always turned out well.
    Best,
    Pit

    Reply

    1. First off, Cologne is so beautiful, and has such history of enduring catastrophe, and rebounding. “Things come as they come.” This is so relieving. It is up to us to deal with things positively. Thank you for this <3

      Reply

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