PAGE 10, CORONAVIRUS - Just the facts
MARCH 24-25, 2020
CORONAVIRUS: JUST THE FACTS | MENTAL HEALTH
Manage Anxiety and Stress
The outbreak of
COVID-19 may be
stressful for people
and communities to
handle, especially as
new information
continues to be
released at
seemingly breakneck
speeds. This stress
can be difficult for
people to handle.
Maybe you have an older
adult in your life with pre-exist-
ing medical conditions that
could make them more at risk
to catch coronavirus. Maybe
your workplace recently shut
down due to bans on public
crowds and you’re worried
about where your next pay-
check is coming from.
We all handle stress different-
ly, and there is not a one-size-
fits-all solution to overcoming
these emotionally challenging
times. Fortunately, there are
plenty of beset practices you
can follow to make illness-in-
duced stress easier to manage.
WHO IS STRESSED?
There are certain segments
of the population who may be
more susceptible to stress than
others.
According to the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration, here
are some examples of our
country’s most vulnerable pop-
© ADOBE STOCK
ulations:
• People who have preexist-
ing mental health conditions
including problems with sub-
stance use.
• Children.
• People who are helping
with the response to COVID-19,
like doctors and other health
care providers, or first respond-
ers.
WHAT REACTIONS
MIGHT THEY HAVE?
According to SAMHSA,
there are a wide range of
emotions that come with
dealing with stress. They
include:
• Fear and worry about your
own health status and that of
your loved ones who may
have been exposed to COVID-
19.
• Changes in sleep or eating
patterns.
• Difficulty sleeping or con-
centrating.
• Worsening of chronic
health problems.
• Increased use of alcohol,
tobacco or other drugs.
HOW TO HANDLE STRESS
People with preexisting
mental health conditions
should continue with their
treatment plans during an
emergency and monitor for
any new symptoms.
SAMHSA recommends con-
necting with family, friends
and others in your communi-
ty to overcome stress.
Other actions to take
include avoiding excessive
exposure to media coverage of
COVID-19 and taking good
care of both your body and
mind. This can include regu-
lar exercise and meditation,
as well as eating healthy, get-
ting plenty of sleep and avoid-
ing alcohol and drugs.
If you think you may be
dealing with some form of
depression, reach out to your
doctor immediately for a con-
sultation and potential treat-
ment.