Health Desk- 22 March 2020: Coronavirus has plunged
the world into uncertainty and the constant news about the pandemic can feel
relentless.
All of this is taking its toll on people's mental health,
particularly those already living with conditions like anxiety and OCD. So how
can we protect our mental health?
Being concerned about the news is understandable, but for
many people it can make existing mental health problems worse.
When the World Health Organization (WHO) released advice on
protecting your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak, it was welcomed
on social media.
As Anxiety UK's Nicky Lidbetter explains, the fear of being
out of control and unable to tolerate uncertainty are common characteristics of
many anxiety disorders. So it's understandable that many individuals with
pre-existing anxiety are facing challenges at the moment.
"A lot of anxiety is rooted in worrying about the
unknown and waiting for something to happen - coronavirus is that on a macro
scale," agrees Rosie Weatherley, spokesperson for mental health charity
Mind.
So how can we protect our mental health?
Reading lots of news about coronavirus has led to panic
attacks for Nick, a father-of-two from Kent, who lives with anxiety.
"When I'm feeling anxious my thoughts can spiral out of
control and I start thinking about catastrophic outcomes," he says. Nick
is worried about his parents and other older people he knows.
Having long periods away from news websites and social media
has helped him to manage his anxiety. He has also found support helplines, run
by mental health charities such as AnxietyUK, useful.
কোন মন্তব্য নেই:
একটি মন্তব্য পোস্ট করুন