The relationship between Covid and Anxiety. A new stage.

How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected our mental health?

Mental Health vs Covid

Today everyone knows that COVID-19 and its main symptoms (fever, dry cough, tiredness, nausea, chills...); what we may not be so familiar with are other types of symptoms that are beginning to be detected but do not yet have the same visibility, we are talking about the stress and anxiety produced by the pandemic. Therefore, we want to talk to you about the relationship between COVID and Anxiety.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling of fear, dread, or restlessness. It usually manifests with sweating, palpitations, muscle tension, etc.

Stress is a natural reaction of the body to certain situations, it can be caused by work, an exam, family problems, etc. There are two types of stress: good stress (eutres, the one that helps us overcome obstacles) and bad stress (distress, the one that depletes our reserves and gives us problems).

Anxiety and COVID-19

It is evident that COVID-19 has modified our lifestyles, the routine has been altered. Surveys have detected a considerable increase in adults who present a clinical picture of stress, anxiety and depression during the pandemic compared to surveys prior to it. The relationship between COVID and Anxiety is clearly manifested.

Stress starts when the person needs to face a new situation that requires new resources, when this stress is maintained over time, exhaustion occurs that leads to anxiety. Each person reacts differently to each situation, it is natural to feel stressed or overwhelmed in the face of a new challenge. However, the challenges caused by the situation caused by COVID-19 may exceed the ability to face it.

Even when you try hard not to be affected by the current situation, it is perfectly normal to feel sadness, anger, fear or anxiety. You probably find it hard to focus on daily tasks, your appetite changes, you have unjustified muscle pain or you can't fall asleep. All of these symptoms are normal and it is your body's way of telling you that it needs help.

The pandemic has created a new reality in which danger is much more present in our lives, we all know someone who has been
affected by COVID-19. Despite our resilience and adaptation capacity, this new reality generates greater fatigue, which generates a
worsening of mental health. With each new wave, feelings of sadness and helplessness, as well as uncertainty, are experienced.

Strategies against the symptoms produced by the relationship between COVID and anxiety.

• Organize your day. It is important to establish a routine in which you determine the tasks that you are going to carry out throughout the day. Keeping your mind busy is the most effective way to ward off negative thoughts. It is important to establish a time to relax and unwind; either meditating, reading or watching a series.
• Socialize. People are sociable beings by nature, we need this social exchange to feel complete. Whether staying with friends, visiting family or playing group sports. It is important to be in contact with your environment. If it is not possible due to schedules or geographical distance, contact us by phone or video call.
• New activities. You are never too old to start a new hobby, in case you spend a lot of time at home, either because you telecommute, have small children or have reduced mobility, find something new to do and enjoy it.
• Avoid overstimulation. It is important to limit exposure to the media, for more than a year the media has bombarded us with news related to COVID (affected, hospitalized, vaccinated, etc.).
• Healthy men in healthy body. It's not just about exercising, but about looking for BALANCE. Healthy diet, sleep quality and physical exercise.
• Ask for help. Before symptoms of anxiety or depression escalate, before your mental health worsens, ask for help when you need it and don't be afraid to be honest about how you feel. Most of the population requires professional help at some point in their lives, it is up to each person to have the courage to ask for it.