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Anxiety vs Covid-19: The Importance of Stress Management at This Time

July 15, 20202 min read

In today’s day and age, so many of us are on heightened alert to any symptom we notice in our body.

Given the widespread fear perpetuating about the virus, it is understandable how this reaction could occur.

For this reason, I thought it was important to share this figure from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The reality is that almost all of us will experience the symptoms of anxiety at this time, and very few of us will experience severe symptoms of COVID-19.

Anxiety vs COVID-19

How to Manage Anxiety During COVID-19

These are no doubt unprecedented times and call for unprecedented action toward wellness.

The best thing that each of us can do for our planet right now is to keep ourselves well and our vibration as high as possible.

That means focusing on our daily life and taking responsible, health-promoting actions every day.

One of the best things we can do to reduce anxiety and fear at this time is to do our best to limit exposure to the news and turn off the news for pockets of time every day.

Chronic exposure to negative information is not healthy for the mind or body and can leave us feeling anxious and depressed about the state of the world.


How Negative Thoughts Affect Immunity

Exposure to negative information can give rise to a host of fear-based thoughts that only serve to suppress immunity and lead to more negative emotions.

Not only that, but my research, as well as other research, has clearly shown that negative emotions contribute to unhealthy lifestyle behaviors like poor diet, sitting, no exercise, and alcohol abuse.

These behaviors can further suppress immune function and set-up a vicious cycle.

This lowered immune state can increase our risk for many infectious diseases, including COVID-19.


How to Reduce Negative Thoughts

To reduce negative thoughts, we have to take some breaks from the amount of negative news that we are being exposed to at this time.

You can maintain a healthy mind-body through a healthy lifestyle, positive outlook, and positive environment.

A healthy mind-body is just as crucial for containing the virus as hand washing and social distancing!

Staying well means evaluating what we are feeling and how our thoughts, behaviors, and environment contribute to our current state.

As a first step, we have to realize that there is nothing to gain from panic and anxiety.

These only serve to disturb our inner peace and suppress our immunity.

So, by removing these mental viruses every day, we can help protect ourselves from COVID-19 and other physical viruses out there.


Anxiety vs COVID-19 Takeaways

Let’s not focus on when we will get our normal life back.

Instead, let’s embrace this opportunity and take action.

Let’s leave our zone of fear and venture into learning and growth, helping others, finding our purpose, surrendering control, and living in the NOW, our most important time.

Stephen Anton, PhD

Stephen Anton, PhD

Dr. Anton’s specific research interests are in the role that lifestyle factors have in influencing obesity, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disease conditions. He completed his doctoral degree in Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Florida (UF), receiving training in health promotion and the delivery of lifestyle interventions designed to modify eating and exercise behaviors. Following completion of his post-doctoral fellowship at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in June 2007, he accepted a joint Assistant Professor position within the Department of Aging and Geriatric Research and Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Florida. Since joining the University of Florida, he has successfully obtained and conducted multiple grants examining the effects that lifestyle-based interventions have on biological and functional outcomes relevant to obesity, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disease conditions related to aging. With over 150 scientific articles and book chapters, his research has been recognized both nationally as well as internationally.

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This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Please consult your physician before making changes to your health routine.