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Coronavirus: how to stay positive and not let anxiety get the better of you
- Experts give tips on how to avoid panicking, from acknowledging the fear and anxiety caused by the coronavirus outbreak to focusing on the present
- Other advice includes controlling the type and amount of news consumed, and talking to people about other topics
Reading Time:3 minutes
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With all the news about the coronavirus outbreak, it’s only natural to worry about our well-being and safety, and that of our loved ones. In many countries around the world, people are living in fear, not knowing where the virus will show up next or how long it will continue to dictate our movements.
From factory closures to grounded flights, there is also concern about the mounting economic fallout from the outbreak. Are our jobs safe? Will the economy collapse? Will businesses thrive again once the virus has run its course?
The anxiety is real – we only have to read about mask hoarders and the panic buying in supermarkets to understand the fear and sense of helplessness that many of us feel. So, in such an unpredictable and frightening time, how do we keep ourselves on an even emotional keel?
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“The first thing to do is acknowledge the fear, anxiety, panic and worry that you may be experiencing,” says Paul Krismer, founder of the Happiness Experts Company in Canada, and author of Whole Person Happiness: How to be Well in Body, Mind and Spirit. “All emotions should be respected, so allow yourself to feel whatever you are experiencing instead of pushing them away.”
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At the same time, Krismer advises not to wallow in that negative emotional space for too long.
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