How To Manage Anxiety Surrounding Coronavirus

Dr. Karyn Gordon shares her tips to stay clearheaded during times of uncertainty.

Anxiety

During this time is a great example of how to manage anxiety in a situation that’s really uncertain. The number one thing I want people to focus on is that panic and anxiety are an emotion, we cannot control emotions. So, the more we focus on these anxieties the more it expands. It is good to acknowledged the feeling but don’t stay there because the more you stay there it actually makes it worse. You can acknowledge the fear and anxiety, but then lets shift our focus to the two things we can control.

Control

We can control 1) attitude and 2) actions, and this is where we put our focus. We accept what we can not control which is the fact that it’s here and focus on what we can control. When we focus on those two things then thats when we all of a sudden get more calm.

The Unknown Defined

Quarantine is a separation and restricting the movement of people who are exposed to any kind of contagious disease to see if they become sick.

Social Distancing remaining out of places where people meet or gather on mass. Remaining a distance of 6 feet to two meters from others.

Kids

In situations like these the kids will mirror the emotion of their parents. If parents are panicking, kids will be panicking. If parents focus on their attitude and actions because those are the two things that we can control the kids will be okay. Plans reduce anxiety and the more that we can do as parents the kids will sense it.