Overcoming stress in the context of coronavirus infection

On March 1, 2020, WHO announced that the outbreak of COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has become a pandemic.Like all other significant negative processes on a global scale, the current pandemic has provoked an increase in the level of anxiety in people. But, it is worth realizing that during this period, feelings of fear, stress and sadness are absolutely normal.

A person has an amazing ability to think about future events. Thinking ahead means that we can predict obstacles or problems, and this gives us the ability to plan solutions to these problems. However, anxiety is a way of thinking ahead, which often leads to feelings of anxiety and the expectation of misfortune. When we are overly anxious, we often think about the worst-case scenario and fear that we will not be able to cope.

Here are some general recommendations that make it easier to move the situation with COVID-19, reduce the level of anxiety and help maintain mental health.

First of all, you should limit the amount of information that can be read and viewed about the coronavirus situation.You can decide that you will listen to the news at a certain time every day, or you can limit the amount of time you spend on social networks trying to find out if there is no news. It is not recommended to read disturbing news just before bedtime, as this can interfere with sleep. You should also rely only on reliable news sources. For more information about COVID-19, please visit the World Health Organization website.

Strict compliance with medical recommendations and personal hygiene rules will give confidence in the state of security.Let's remember what small daily tasks each of us can do: wash our hands more often, avoid touching our faces, try to reduce the number of contacts with other people, avoid attending public events, and keep a social distance of at least 1 meter.

In the current situation, it is very important to create certainty and consistency in what you can control. For example, you can create a schedule so that your day has a structure. Even if you are forced to work from home due to the spread of coronavirus infection, it is important to follow the regime. Get up and go to bed at the same time, follow a regular balanced diet, prepare for the day ahead every morning, and wear day clothes. Avoid daytime naps or shifts in your sleep cycle, avoid excessive alcohol and caffeine consumption, and do things you may regret (such as excessive online shopping). At the same time, it is necessary to maintain physical activity even in small rooms — do not sit for more than 30 minutes in a row, get up more often, do warm-ups, walk around the perimeter of the room, march on the spot and do not sit talking on the phone. During the conversation, it is better to walk around the house or at least just stand.

It is very difficult to live in a constant sense of readiness to respond to danger. Therefore, in the current situation, it is very important to make the everyday side of life as pleasant as possible for yourself, to pay more attention to it, to take care of it. Try to listen to yourself, because what may be suitable for other people, not necessarily the same will affect you.Do things that will help distract your thoughts from the situation and improve your mood. For example, you can listen to music, watch your favorite movies, study at home, draw, cook delicious food and enjoy it, read books, play board games, do yoga, do home cleaning and grow seedlings.

Practice gratitude regularly. In times of uncertainty, practicing gratitude can help you stay in touch with moments of joy, fullness of life, and pleasure. Spend time each evening thinking about what you are grateful for today. Try to remember something specific and notice something new every day, for example: "I am grateful that it was sunny at lunchtime and I was able to sit in the garden." You can start keeping a gratitude diary and collecting notes in a gratitude vase.

To maintain a sense of well-being, it is very important for a person to be able to make plans, and long-term plans. Remember, even without any pandemic, long-term plans are always adjusted, and this is normal. Therefore, it will be great if you focus on your future, determine what you would like to change, what you would like to learn, what you would like to do, and start taking the first steps in this direction.

If anxiety attacks are sometimes difficult to overcome, then you can use simple effective exercises for relaxation:

• Breathing exercises: sit straight, straighten your back, press your feet firmly to the floor, feel full contact, relax your hands and put them on your knees, close your eyes. The main thing you need to focus on is breathing. Slowly inhale through your nose for five seconds. Then make a smooth exhalation through your mouth, counting to five in your head. As you exhale, imagine your worries leaving your mind. Repeat the breathing cycle several times.
• Working with sensations: take a horizontal position or sit on a chair, close your eyes and relax as much as possible. The purpose of the exercise is to fix bodily sensations. Slowly scan the owl's body from the top of its head to its toes. Speak the body parts to yourself. Take your time, pay enough attention to each zone. Breathe evenly and calmly. Feel your back touching the floor or the back of a chair. Feel your arms and legs grow heavy, and your facial muscles relax.
• The method of progressive muscle relaxation (alternating tension and relaxation of the muscles of the whole body) is also very accessible and useful for reducing overall physical and mental stress and leading to relaxation.

In the case of negative emotions about the coronavirus, you should try to start talking about your condition with a person you trust, a sincere conversation will help you cope with stress.Use the means of Internet technologies to communicate with friends and family: organize a general chat in the messenger, call up using video communication, communicate in social networks, write letters by email. All this reduces the intensity of the experience of loneliness and makes it possible to morally support each other, which is now especially valuable.

Also, under stress, a person is recommended to remember how he previously coped with stressful situations. The experience gained can be applied in the current conditions.

Imagine that disturbing thoughts are clouds floating across the sky, behind which the sun of a familiar quiet life is waiting for us. A flexible, balanced and optimistic view of the situation will help to ease any worries.

If you can not cope with your experiences on your own, you need to contact the emergency psychological assistance service: helpline: 481100.

Head of the department-psychiatrist
higher qualification category, Candidate of Medical Sciences,
Inga Kokareva