Anxiety is contagious
Maria Sikoutris
Photo: Hellenic Therapy Center
In her article Anxiety Can Spread Just Like COVID-19, therapist Maria Sikoutris says, “When a family becomes stressed, everyone feels anxious. The anxiety moves easily from person to person in the family. Anxiety that affects one, affects all. It can be contagious.”
I found myself nodding along as I read the article, especially when it said how important it is to “take ownership for your own well-being and be extremely vigilant in your own self care.” I couldn’t agree more, and as important as this information is for everyone, it goes double for parents because of how our behavior serves as a guide for our children.
After all, the best way to teach isn’t by yelling–it’s by doing. “Wash your hands” isn’t nearly as effective as washing your hands for 20 seconds in front of your kids. Show them how to take care of their immune systems by eating healthy, getting exercise, and being careful about your alcohol consumption. All common sense, and for most of us, things we struggle to get right all the time. As I mention in my speeches, alcohol in particular is effective at keeping anxiety at bay–until it wears off. Then the fear comes back twice as strong.
Right now, none of us knows what the future holds, which makes everyone anxious to a degree, because anxiety lives in the future.
One of the things Ms. Sikoutris points out is that laughter and connection are healing. Again, I found myself nodding as I read those words. But connection can be hard when the whole world is quarantined, so most of us turn to social media. That can help, but it’s important to be careful. There is so much hype and misinformation that it’s easy to get sucked into a cycle of worrying that is unhelpful and unhealthy.
Having suffered from agoraphobia for decades, I know how hard it is to try and remain calm when things are scary. But helps me is one of my tools: Act as if. I choose to act as if I’m fine and we’ill find a cure and things will go back to normal. I’m not trying to ‘fool’ myself–it’s about making a choice. I can sit in a tight little ball rocking back and forth in constant worry, or choose to live my life knowing there WILL be a cure and we will get over this. I choose the latter.
As of this writing it’s been 9 weeks with this COVID-19. Check out Ms. Sikoutris’s article for some helpful tips, and remember that your mental state will affect those around you–and vice versa–so it’s important to find ways to stay grounded. I hope and pray you choose to handle it in the most positive way possible and can be present in peace. And of course, if you cannot please seek out professional help. For not only yourself, but for the sake of your loved ones.
Be well, be safe!
–Brian