It’s perfectly normal to feel stressed or worried sometimes, but an increasing number of Canadians are struggling with serious anxiety disorders in the wake of this year’s unprecedented global health crisis.
If you’re having difficulty coping during COVID-19, here are a few insights that will help you better understand anxiety, as well as some tips and strategies to prevent negative thoughts and calm your anxious mind.
Photo Credit: fizkes
Anxiety is a mental health condition classified as persistent and excessive feelings of fear and concern or an impending sense of doom. While occasional worries are completely normal, a prolonged nervous and negative outlook that interferes with your daily life is indicative of a more serious problem that can lead to episodic anxiety attacks.
Anxious feelings are an automatic response to a perceived threat or danger, whether that’s a bad health diagnosis, an intimidating project at work, or socializing in a room full of strangers. When we feel threatened or under extreme pressure, our bodies trigger an instinctual ‘fight-or-flight’ reaction that causes both mental and physical side effects. These feelings should dissipate over time, but individuals suffering from generalized anxiety disorders live with persistent and excessive feelings of unease and find it incredibly difficult to stop worrying.
Symptoms of anxiety are both mental and physical and can vary from person to person. Some of the most common symptoms of anxiety include:
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, anxiety disorders affect about 5% of the household population in Canada and can range from mild to severe. Some individuals may be more likely to develop an anxiety disorder and there are a number of different factors that play a role, including family history, brain chemistry, environmental circumstances, and personality traits.
The COVID-19 health crisis has ushered in a period of uncertainty, social isolation, and financial instability, and this has had a sizeable impact on the mental health of citizens across the globe. Anxiety and depression are on the rise in Canada; in fact, levels of self-identified anxiety are four times higher now than they were pre-pandemic according to a recent national poll conducted by Mental Health Research Canada. Coping during COVID-19 has been a struggle for many Canadians, with feelings of anxiety especially high among front-line healthcare workers and individuals who have lost their jobs.
If you’re struggling with ongoing feelings of worry and anxiety, there are a number of lifestyle changes that can help reduce stress, stop negative thoughts, and improve mental health.
If lifestyle changes alone aren’t helping to keep your anxiety under control, you may want to seek help from a medical professional to determine a course of treatment that is right for you.
If you’re a fan of alternative medicine, acupuncture has also been shown to help in the treatment of stress-related illnesses.
