With the new and novel Coronavirus spreading around the world, government officials have ordered everyone to stay home, to avoid large groups of people, and to socially distance themselves from others. While the world waits for a vaccine, following these suggestions are all we can do to prevent the spread of this virus any more than it already has. And while the instructions are simple, some may find it difficult to cope with such novel circumstances.
Fortunately, 90-95% of the reported cases of the novel Coronavirus have led to a full recovery. Only about 5-10% of the cases have caused complications. However, despite the facts working in our favor, some may still find it difficult to cope with the stress of the situation—especially those suffering from depression, anxiety, and OCD. In order to maintain a level head (and avoid living at your kitchen sink washing your hands until they’re raw) consider investing your newfound spare time into something more constructive: an art project, building a website, or writing poetry, for example. These creative endeavors will allow you to express yourself and extract any unusual feelings you may be hanging onto regarding the current state of affairs.
A lot of unnecessary anxiety and confusion can also be avoided by simply following these suggestions:
Pick ONE TRUSTED news source, and ignore the rest. By restricting the narrative to a familiar void, you reduce the chances of experiencing extra anxiety.
DON’T LOOK FOR ANSWERS to your questions about the novel Coronavirus from your peers on social media (unless they’re doctors, of course). Most of your friends are just as lost about the situation as you are, have access to the same resources, and therefore can’t offer you anything above and beyond what you can easily discover on your own.
STICK TO THE FACTS. Avoid engrossing yourself in overly emotional testimony about the virus and related topics. Making informed decisions requires a little extra effort on your part: discover what the actual statistics are if you’re curious. Replace thoughts that sound like “the virus is everywhere,” with more rational statements like “in 2.5 months the virus has infected around 250,000 people, around the world.” Doing this provides the appropriate context so you can make well informed decisions.
Spend this time DOING SOMETHING YOU ENJOY. You want to look back at this time in a positive light. Therefore, it’s important that you make it memorable! Getting lost in a hobby or activity is a fantastic way to prevent anxiety and depression and boost self esteem!
Right now, it’s called the novel Coronavirus because it’s new. However, within the next 12 months it won’t be “new” any longer, and a vaccine will be available to anyone who needs it. Until then, we must all do our part to prevent its transmission in order to avoid overburdening our hospitals, and the fantastic doctors and nurses who keep them running.
Sometimes, depression and anxiety can be too much to overcome alone. Thankfully, there are excellent treatments like ketamine infusion therapy for just this type of situation. Many patients have found them to be a safe and effective way to quickly lift their fog of depression and reduce the weight of their anxiety in just a few hours.
For now, stay smart, stay safe, and stay calm—we’re in this together!
Iconic Infusions offers IV vitamin therapy to those living in or around the Fayetteville, NC area. Scheduling an appointment is easy to do: simply give us a call at 910.987.5300 or request an appointment online.
