SELF HELP
DR. SERGE GREGOIRE, PH.D, CCH
Functional Medicine Doctor
281-616-3816
[email protected]
www.nutrition-houston.com
COVID19 ANXIETY and
HOW TO COPE WITH IT
It’s no secret that stress plays a significant role in
our physical health. Similar to the importance of
sleep, our stress levels have profound effects on
our inflammation levels, which inherently affect our
immune systems. It’s no wonder many functional
immunologists regard it as an integral part of the
immune-boosting trifecta: eating well, getting plenty of
sleep, and managing stress.
But it can be difficult when people respond to your
stress by saying, “Just don’t stress!” It’s especially
frustrating as we face the anxiety surrounding COVID-19
when there’s not much else to do but read the news or
try to distract ourselves with home projects.
While you can use these tricks no matter the time of
year (global pandemic aside), keep these three tips in
mind during your quarantine. The next time you feel
yourself start to spiral, hopefully, these methods (and
a breathwork exercise or two) will help:
1. Make necessary changes to your information diet.
The first step is to make conscious choices about
how we’re consuming our information, a mindful
“information diet,” if you will. It’s no secret that there are
some fearmongering headlines out there.
Turning off the TV or do a social media text. Just stop
listening to the mainstream media!
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep yourself
informed at all. Notice what makes your breath tighten
and practically set boundaries. Don’t cut yourself off
from what’s going on, but choose carefully where you’re
getting your information from. In this case, it truly is
quality over quantity.
2. Practice an acceptance rather than resistance
attitude.
So you’ve set a healthy information diet, but you still
can’t shake that stress. In this case, it may be worth it to
simply accept your anxiety rather than trying to resist it.
Notice when your breath catches, or your chest
tightens. Instead of going through a downward spiral,
notice how you’re feeling. Can you soften it into a deep
breath?
If you’re feeling some COVID-induced anxiety,
perhaps the best way to navigate it is to simply accept
those feelings as valid. There’s a lot to be said about
surrender, being asked to let go of control. You can do
your best but also recognize some aspect of this is out
of your control.
3. Differentiate between true versus false anxiety.
There is a difference between what she dubs “true”
and “false” anxiety.
False anxiety is the anxiety we might feel as a result of
things like too much caffeine, an influx of social media
before bed, and not enough sleep. If you can fix those
factors, chances are you’ll reduce some of your anxiety
levels.
True anxiety, on the other hand, is not meant to be
suppressed. Rather than fueling a fire of anxiety, you
want to channel it.
During this global pandemic, channel our true anxiety
by trying to figure out what we can learn from this
experience. A spiritual take on how we as humans are
all connected, something we might have needed to be
reminded of.
Dealing with anxiety in the face of COVID-19 takes
a healthy blend of realism, optimism, and
surrender. Perhaps surrendering to that idea alone can
help lessen our anxious thoughts.
12 MOMENTUM