Anxious about the new coronavirus? Therapist offers tips to help
ATLANTA - With the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, dominating the news, and seemingly on the horizon, licensed professional counselor Sulonda Smith of the Inner Circle Counseling Center in Atlanta says it's easy to feel on-edge.
You may even feel a little panicked if you struggle with anxiety. So, if your mind starts racing, with all the what-ifs, Smith says, take a deep breath.
"Do some really deep breathing from the diaphragm," Smith says. "So, you can send more blood to the brain and you can help dispel those thoughts. You can get up and walk around. You can jump up and down. You can remind yourself, 'I don't have it now. It is not in my life right now, and I'm fine.'"
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Do some research, Smith says, to learn more about what the virus is, how it's spread, and what you can do to protect yourself.
Wash your hands frequently, keep your fingers away from your face and wipe down shared surfaces.
If you have children worried about the virus, Smith says, talk about it on a level they can understand. Try associating it with something they're familiar with, like a cold virus, she says.
"Then, say, 'This is how we're going to protect ourselves, and I don't want you to worry about it, because we're not dealing with it right now,'" Smith says. "So, don't try to sugarcoat or hide it, but put them on a small alert. So, that they're mindful, when you're around friends, and a friend just sneezed, go wash your hands."
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