The question I’ve been getting more and more the past few days as I’ve been going live on Instagram and Facebook is: “How do I deal with pandemic anxiety?”
Sure, there are lots of other, more specific questions wrapped up in that one, such as:
“What if schools don’t open up in the fall?”
“What if schools DO open up in the fall?”
“What if my kid won’t wear a mask?”
“What if my family and friends won’t wear a mask?”
“What if my family and friends keep trying to make me wear a mask?”
And so on, and so forth.
These are uncertain times, to be sure. I mean, the fact that you’ve heard that phrase eleventy bajillion times by now is proof, right? But the truth is, there IS a way to deal with pandemic anxiety that will help you significantly reduce your discomfort and help you feel more peaceful, regardless of whether or not Great Aunt Millie decides to wear her mask.
And I’m about to let you in on a little secret: the best way to deal with pandemic anxiety is the same way to deal with ANY anxiety – with a structured, evidence-based plan that will help you calm down your amygdala.
My a-what-a?
Your amygdala, my friend. It’s the little almond shaped part of your brain responsible for emotion and behavior, but its claim to fame is that it’s the part of the brain that gets activated when you feel fearful. The amygdala is where the “fight, flight, or freeze” response is processed, and man oh man, can that be uncomfortable.
But whether your fear is based on a global pandemic (is that redundant? one can never be sure these days…), or while you’re waiting for those test results from the doctor, or literally anything else…your amygdala is what we are dealing with first and foremost.
The good news? You don’t need anything drastic like a lobotomy or magnetic therapy or even medication or therapy to de-escalate that little almond shaped piece o’brain.
You simply need to learn the tools that have been proven by neuroscience and psychotherapists time and time again.
Since therapy (and essentially all of life) has migrated online these days, I decided to make it super easy (and affordable!) for people to learn these very tools.
Not to light up your amygdala, my friend, but the cornonavirus cases are on the rise again in the US. I wish I could tell you what that means for your August vacation, your kid’s return (or not) to school in the fall, or the economy. But since I can’t do that, I want to a) acknowledge and validate your fear around that, and b) offer you something I KNOW (and actually guarantee) will help you get through whatever these months ahead will bring your way.
We are all in this together, and I am truly here to help. If you have questions or concerns about anything in this post (or seriously, anything else), please don’t hesitate to contact me. You can email me anytime: cbearsecounseling@gmail.com.
My heart is for you, to help, guide, encourage and serve you. The Fear Less course (and the private Facebook group that’s included with it!) is the best way I can provide the support and guidance you’ll need to get through the rest of this crazy year. I’m here for it, my friend. Are you?
+ show Comments
- Hide Comments
add a comment