10
ASK THE EXPERT
By: Sophie Heaton - Psych Soph
Hey guys! My name is Sophie Heaton (also known as Psych Soph). I am a recent ‘First Class’ BSc Psychology Graduate, aiming to make current psychological research more relevant to everyday life. Aside from psychology, I am also passionate about fundraising for charity & tasting every gin flavour ever made!!
Catch me on instagram @psych_soph if you have any questions!
Preferred pronouns: she, her, hers.
How to cope in a world full of uncertainty
Like many of you, when Coronavirus was first mentioned I thought…
“The flu is worse”
“It won’t spread to Europe”
“Here we go again, media sensationalism”
“Don’t panic, it’s going to be fine”
and for a while, I felt reassured by those beliefs. So it’s not surprising that when reality hit, so did an overwhelming feeling of anxiety.
According to clinical psychologists, anxiety is a natural response to stress - typically characterised by the feeling of fear, apprehension or nervousness about the future. Due to mind-body connectivity, it is not uncommon for these feelings to manifest themselves into physical sensations (i.e. tension, tight chest) & behaviours (i.e. panic attacks & avoidance).
It is estimated that millions of people within the UK experience anxious feelings on a daily basis; statistics which are likely to have risen in light of the recent pandemic (Mind, 2020).
In this article, I will be explaining:
- The psychological theory behind causes anxiety
- Why it is likely to heighten during COVID-19
- How to cope
Anxiety -
So, what causes anxiety? Evolutionary psychologists suggest that anxiety is an extension of the ‘fight or flight’ response. Like animals, humans have evolved to be able to ‘detect’ threats, helping to protect ourselves from danger. Once a threat is detected, hormones are released into the bloodstream - heightening our anxiety levels & in turn, our ability to be able to act appropriately. This helps to explain why people tend to feel more anxious in anticipation of, or during life changing events (i.e. illness, job changes or relationship difficulties).