Of course you are going to be anxious during these unprecedented times.
ALSO READ: Are you or someone close to you suffering from severe anxiety?
We have no form of reference, nothing to compare this to.
Your anxiety is TOTALLY NORMAL. One way of managing your anxiety is to accept it, own it, face that you are responding to a highly unusual set of circumstances.
However, give yourself a set time period to give vent to your anxiety, don’t allow your anxiety to rule you.
Try to keep yourself in the present, spend time in the known and not in the uncertain space that is the unknown.
An important aspect to managing your anxiety is to have control.
Maintain control by keeping a sense of structure and routine in your day. Have set times for set tasks.
Ensure you do some form of exercise, that you practice self-care.
Self-care includes positive self-talk. If you are living with other people, ensure you make time for privacy, being alone to process your thoughts and emotions is healthy and necessary.
If you are living alone, maintain a balance between spending too much time with your thoughts and keeping connected with others via technology.
Take care not to overindulge in social media, it can be easy to go down a wormhole of information that may not be good for your mental health and could trigger more anxiety. Limit your news feed to once a day.
Try to stay connected with people who help you remain positive and focused. Don’t over identify with people who will reinforce your anxieties.
Most of all, remain compassionate towards yourself and others.
Everyone is experiencing and reacting to this pandemic in their own way and we all need comfort and compassion.
Above all, this is a magnificent opportunity for us to show our humanity, to reshape behaviours and our world in a fundamental way.
About Louisa:
Louisa is a psychotherapist with a specialisation in Trauma Therapy. She has trained with the Human Givens Institute in the UK, an academic institute specialising in fast tracking trauma and anxiety.
In addition to her private practice, she founded a Victim Support Centre for the South African Police, providing psychological services to the police and public.
Louisa is currently writing a doctoral thesis on the subject of midlife, has facilitated retreats for senior executives suffering from burnout and midlife crises. Louisa has been featured widely in written media, on radio and is a regular guest on DSTV’s Real Health.
Louisa has a particular interest in relationships and finding love the second time around. She is a featured author for Zoosk, an international online dating site.
Louisa has an intuitive approach to therapy, taking into account a mind/body connection, using a set of paradigms to allow patients to actualise and live more authentic and meaningful lives. Louisa is available for group webinars or one on one online consultations.
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