The pandemic has been a stressor for almost everyone. Naturally, people are constantly worried about losing their jobs or getting severely ill. For some people, however, Covid-19 has meant an increase in anxiety and has triggered more panic attacks. Alicia Nobles, a study senior author, even cited the increase of google searches for panic attacks. She found that there were nearly 3.4 million more internet searches in the two months after the U.S. declared Covid-19 a pandemic. Of course, people always react differently to stressful situations. Your reaction to the pandemic majorly depends on your health and emotional background, financial situation, or social support from family or friends. Specifically, the rise in panic disorders can be linked to the stresses of being elderly/high risk, caring for loved ones, being a frontline or essential worker, losing jobs, experiencing homelessness, etc. Health professionals have directed many of these people to different types of treatments or support services that have the ability to provide adequate counseling.
However, some individuals might feel as if their therapist or support group cannot efficiently help them through phone or video conferencing. This is why many organizations have recently been formed to help those who have these worries.
If you or someone you know has anxiety, it is important to stay connected. During times like these, you might be unable to physically meet up with friends of family. This can cause feelings of social isolation and disconnectedness, which causes heightened reactions to stress and reduces coping abilities. Many researchers stress the importance of communication between friends and family. Individuals all across the world have been extremely creative while thinking of ways to stay connected. Many people use video platforms such as Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, and House Party. On these platforms, you can easily schedule a time to catch up with loved ones. Online gaming is also a way to stay social, as they can be played across long distances. In addition to playing video games together, you can also watch movies or virtual concerts with your friends. Celebrities and musicians are putting on virtual events in support of essential workers. Netflix has also created Netflix Party, which allows people to stream movies with their friends virtually. When trying to stay connected to loved ones, it is always good to be creative and find something you both enjoy doing virtually. Anxiety disorders can take many forms and affect a wide range of people. If you are someone who has an anxiety disorder, it is extremely important to seek support from a mental health professional. Many therapists are offering online visits and some national telehealth apps are offering therapy through video or audio. Online therapy services such as Talkspace, Online-therapy, and 7-cups all connect you to a caring support system. All three of these services allow you to have confidential online therapy with a licensed therapist. They also offer free help and chatting to those who might need it. These resources can be very helpful to someone who might feel uncomfortable video chatting or going to see a therapist in person.
Link to Mentioned Resources: Chatting and therapy available for free 24/7: https://www.7cups.com Free therapy program with activity plans: https://www.online-therapy.com/?ref=177764
Online therapy with a licensed therapist (available 24/7): https://www.talkspace.com
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