Tips for managing anxiety in a crisis
There are a lot of reasons why you might feel nervous about COVID-19 and experience increased anxiety. Many parents are worried about how the pandemic will impact their housing and finances, especially with schools closing and needing to figure out long-term child care. Many parents are also worried about the health of themselves, their children, and their loved ones. These threats to our safety trigger our sympathetic nervous system, which is always scanning our environment for danger (neuroception). The uncertainty of the future means that the threat is indefinite and our bodies are perpetually in a fight or flight response. Feeling a sense of despair, isolation due to loss of control, and helplessness can also fuel our anxiety.