How to deal with panic
By Dr Lynda Shaw, neuroscientist, business psychologist and change specialist.
COVID-19 is alarming for all of us, and for many our anxiety levels are on high alert which in the long term can be at the expense of our mental and physical health. So what should you do when the anxiety is getting too much, or you are starting to feel panic?
- Uncertainty is difficult – The brain finds ‘the unknown’ the hardest to deal with and research shows that uncertainty is scarier and more alarming than known outcomes, even if they are bad outcomes. Control and organise what you can to a reasonable extent if it brings you comfort but don’t fixate and go to extremes including at the expense of other people.
- Anxiety is bad for our health – Long periods of raised stress hormones like adrenalin and cortisol impact almost every part of our body. Side effects include increased blood pressure, muscle tension, insomnia, and headaches which can ultimately lead to an increased risk of serious illnesses. So whilst this is a difficult time, make time for activities that relax you and release feel good hormones like yoga, reading or cooking. Turn off news alerts on your phone if they are making you feel on edge.
- Make good use of the time. Think about what you can do if you are going to have a prolonged period at home. Is it time to do some gardening, paint the house, get fit indoors, sort the paperwork out or take up that home-based hobby you always said you never had time to do.
- Fight and flight hormones – When faced with a perceived threat the body responds by releasing stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, readying you for action. These hormones narrow down our focus in order to concentrate on survival, which decreases our productivity. Stress can reduce work productivity by on average 25%. Prioritise deep breathing exercises and if you have some outdoor space, getting into it each day.
- Stopping socialising can obviously deeply affect our mood. Humans are social creatures and when we hang out with people we like, feel good hormones like dopamine and oxytocin are released and reward neural activity is stimulated in the brain. We feel good and have nurtured ourselves without even realising. Communicate using the wonders of technology. Arrange virtual coffee mornings and dinner parties on WhatsApp and Skype so you can see your friends and loved ones faces, especially those that might be feeling lonely.
- We often see the very best in people in very difficult times. Think if you can help any family members, friends or neighbours in any way, whether that is going for the shop for them or picking up meds. We also really need to support the frontline ie our medical workers.
- Catastrophising and panicking about what might happen rarely helps. Acute anxiety is an immediate reaction to a real danger, like a near miss whilst driving, but chronic panic is the fear of change, of something that might (or might not) happen in the future and anticipating a bad outcome. It causes you to live in a state of trepidation and confusion. Don’t let your imagination run wild and accept that some things in life are unknown and unpredictable. Be confident that you have the strength and versatility to overcome challenges when required and that this difficult period will pass in time.
- Being panicked makes people susceptible to ‘fake news’ – when the brain perceives a threat, it works very hard to neutralise the hazard and make you safe again. People are naturally inclined to believe information that lies close to their current inherited beliefs even if they are not based on solid science. Stress hormones decrease your rationality and critical thinking and make you more susceptible to inaccurate information. Avoid listening to other’s ‘strong opinions’ and check government websites for official advice.
- Anxious minds do not sleep well – Sleep loss only adds to the stress which is the very thing stopping us sleeping. When you are overtired you have trouble concentrating, are less productive and feel irritable. Don’t watch or read about the news just before bed if the content is making you feel dismayed. The benefit is two-fold because screen time is known to delay the onset of sleep. Have a relaxing bedtime routine revolving around reading a book, a warm bath, or a bit of mindfulness.
- Fear can be transmitted to other people – Chronic anxiety about potential future dangers can cause low mood, short tempers and grouchiness. Children in particular will pick up on your anxious mood and sense of dread which can trigger their own feelings of stress. Be aware that this happens and control your emotions, so they don’t control you or infiltrate those around you. Its ok to talk to your children about difficult subjects because it actually makes them feel more secure that things are not being hidden from them, but too much detail or making them very scared really doesn’t help.
- Don’t descend into treating each other badly – During times of confusion and anxiety our stress hormones rise, we sleep less and consequently can be more irritable and shorter tempered. Be aware that this happens and make a conscious effort to smile and be positive. Positivity also rubs off on people, so smile and find things to laugh about, one of our best healers.
- Prioritise self-care like eating well, exercising, virtual socialising, doing your hobby, planning nice things to do when this is all over, reducing your time on social media and sleeping as best you can.