Hi everyone,
I’m a 21 year old American with mild asthma and diagnosed anxiety (specifically health anxiety). Even though my asthma isn’t bad, I’ve been so terrified by the coronavirus that I’m experiencing physical symptoms— nauseous, tight chest, the works. I think I have a slight illness right now that’s making me cough and have some asthma symptoms, but I doubt it’s coronavirus.
I need advice on dealing with these trying times, some semblance of hope.
If you self-isolate you literally can't get it, and if you already have it I think there's a what...1 in 1000 chance at your age of it becoming "more serious"? I wouldn't worry about it. In fact, if it weren't for all the elderly people with pre-existing conditions this would have a pretty low fatality rate.
When I say "don't worry about it" I don't mean to not take it seriously...please do, for your own sake and the sake of others. What I mean is I wouldn't sit there obsessing about it because even if you got a full-blown case it's overwhelmingly likely you'll be absolutely fine.
Thank you for the response, it's made me feel quite better. Stay safe my friend.
I have health anxiety as well, so I'm prone to over-researching. When I heard this disease could stay "airborne and infectious for up to 3 hours" I was pretty terrified. What that meant was that if you walked down an aisle in a store where someone with covid-19 coughed, you would very likely pick up the floating particles and get sick.
Turns out, typical news sensationalism, "it's not impossible, given perfect circumstances, to survive airborne". Also read a researcher scanned a hospital room with covid-19 patients STILL IN IT, LITERALLY COUGHING and there was no trace of it in the air.
Long story short, if you pay close attention to not touching things and then touching your face before hand-washing, carefully disinfecting things you buy - including packaging (and then hand-washing), and not getting at all close to people...you're good.
I mean I wouldn't tempt fate by hanging out in public and shopping for groceries 6 times a week, but just be careful and you will be fine.
Stay in if you can. If you have to go out then follow proper protocol. Don't watch tv all day. There are briefings once a day of you feel like you want an update.
We are all at risk. Age is not a factor. Be very very careful.
Stay safe
So sorry! This isolation has the power to make us more anxious! What has been helping me to cope is The 3 C's for the pandemic I didn't C-cause it. I cannot C- control it. And, I cannot C- cure it. Some guidelines I read which are helping me are: 1. Media distancing. 2. Do not engage with worry. Take action. Say, “Don’t take the bait.” 3. Focus on present odds. 4. Do not react to my own physical symptoms. 5. Focus on being productive and new ways of enjoying life. 6. Engage in stress reduction activities. 7. Do not go beyond the CDC guidelines. No compulsive behaviors. Like hand washing. 8. Preserve some sense of normalcy. 9. Be kind to myself and others and have FAITH! This has been the most impactful one for ME! 10. Seek our professional help, if needed! Hope this helps and praying for you today!
I can’t think of a worse scenario for people with health anxiety, like me. I also have mild asthma. I currently have a sinus and ear infection that started with allergies. Of course I thought it was Coronavirus. And the media is making it 100 times worse. You can’t go online, turn on the television, or even surf Netflix lists without Coronavirus popping up. My anxiety has been climbing due to all of this. So yesterday, I decided to turn off the news, Twitter, etc. I will go to Disney+ (they aren’t advertising the Coronavirus to little kids) or I read, listen to music, etc. i am also trying to sit outside for at least 30 minutes a day while listening to guided meditation. Breethe is an awesome app. You can also find some meditations on YouTube. Also, I have told myself I will check the news briefly every few days, and I have told my husband to not tell me anything unless it will directly impact my life. I don’t want to hear any more statistics, data, speculations, etc. I might not be acting like the educated person I am, but my sanity s more important. My advice, turn off the news. May you be blessed with calm and tranquility during this time
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