How Do We Overcome Pandemic Anxiety? A Therapist’s Perspective. Part 1 of 5.

Let’s make a 5 point action plan of how we can reduce anxiety about the situation. In this blog, we will cover the first point, Switch off the Triggers.

How can we reduce our anxiety about the current situation?

The first important change is to switch off the news and other anxiety producing triggers like stressful social media! The 24-hour news cycle that we now have, doesn’t allow us to reflect, center ourselves and take stock of the situation.

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If we are glued to the latest email newsletter, or the Facebook frenzy, our anxiety is fed each time we watch it. But it also doesn’t allow us to get to our real feelings underneath. In this way, we are misusing anxiety to distract us from our authentic feelings and needs, leaving our emotions stuck, repressed and ready to spring when it’s least helpful.

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So it’s really important not to get caught in the drama aspect of it.

Yes, we are in a challenging situation, and it is important to be kept informed. But it’s also important not to let the morbid curiosity of following every statistic take over our compassionate adult self. It is the compassionate adult within us that helps take the best care of ourselves in these times. So when you are indulging the drama, ask yourself “Is this what I really need, or is it time to switch it off and shift gears?”

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I am not suggesting that you be in denial about what is happening, or that you should suddenly become a hermit.

I am recommending that you take charge of taking care of your own mind and well-being. It’s a tremendous act of self-care and self-love to moderate your indulges. You wouldn’t allow a child to eat 5 chocolate bars in a row, would you? Let’s treat ourselves with the same love, self-care and respect as we ideally would our own child.

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Ashok

Ashok Gupta is the Director of the Gupta Program. He has dedicated his life to helping people get their life back from Chronic Illness, improving people’s well-being, and helping them achieve their potential. He has been teaching meditation around the world for over 15 years. He runs a global e-clinic specializing in treating ME, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia & Multiple Chemical Sensitivities – guptaprogram.com

Ashok has spent many years researching the brain neurology of emotion and linking well-being tools with science. He has published medical papers on the basis of stress-related illnesses. He has appeared in many media as an expert on stress on the BBC, CNN, Guardian Newspaper, ITV, The Independent, and many others.

He wrote and presented the Meaning of Life Experiment which is a Free, Award-winning Meditation and Self-Development App www.themeaningoflife.tv

He also works with companies around the world, teaching courses in Leadership, Time Management, and Personal Development. www.ashokgupta.tv

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