Living with anxiety on a day to day basis absolutely sucks balls. If you have anxiety you will know exactly what I mean. However, it seems odd that I am not completely freaking out about the current Coronavirus Pandemic. I mean I am concerned and cautious and following all the guidelines but I am not all out losing my mind. Which I feel is kind of unexpected. I saw this post earlier and actually I think there is some truth in it. It’s as if my anxiety is saying ‘told you so!’

Hmmm I do wonder.

I thought I would write up a post on some things that can help with anxiety if you are self isolating. I have been in isolation for 5 days now and I am feeling the strain. Here are some things that you may find useful.

Limit Social Media
I cannot emphasise this one enough. I have been guilty of trawling Facebook at 1am looking at some ridiculous shite about onions defeating Coronavirus. For me Facebook is the worst platform for spreading misinformation. Noone fact checks….click…share and the bullshit goes on. Do yourself a favour and limit yourself on this. If you need to look at information then use sites that are knowledgeable such as NHS online or the WHO website. Barbara Smith from number 24 is not a virologist and onions don’t kill Coronavirus.Binge watch Netflix
If you are feeling ill then for the first few days you are not going to be wanting to do much. Make a list from Netflix, even subscribe to another streaming service if needs be. Take this time to chill and heal. If you are a mum you can ignore this step because you will have Paw Patrol on repeat continuously. But seriously, take time to rest and heal and letting the kids watch continuous Paw Patrol may be the only way.


Exercise
When you start to feel better you may want to start getting a bit of activity back in your life.  Not as easy as just nipping down the Gym now is it? Spin classes cancelled for the foreseeable. Exercise is so important for mental health. So how can you do this amidst the Coronavirus Pandemic? I have found a couple of apps that are free or free for a short time that can help you to keep active at home.https://www.downdogapp.com/webPopsugar app
https://active.popsugar.comTry and spend as much time outside in your garden if you have one. It will be grounding and if Mr Sun is out you’ll get a dose of Vitamin D. If you are not isolating but social distancing going for walks (or a run) is still not discouraged. Being in nature always helps me with my anxiety. Particularly forests for some reason.

The National Trust are aiming to keep as many of their parks and gardens open as possible and will remain free at present. Their shops and cafes will be closed however. They are releasing regular statements on their website regarding the situation.Try mindfulness or relaxation
When you are really anxious sometime the brain just will not switch off. No matter what you want it to do it keeps throwing out various scenarios. I have some emergency techniques on a previous blog post I wrote Me, Myself and my Social Anxiety. They are really great if your anxiety is starting to spiral out of control. Mindfulness and relaxation techniques are more like preventative measures. Something to practice every day. Now don’t give me that crap about time. You’ve just been put in germ jail for 14 days. All you have got is time. You really are going to have to dig deep right now and self care is really important right now. I’ve looked for some apps for you. I’ve tried my best to find free ones as most are free to download but you then need a subscription.Smiling mind https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smilingmind.appInsight timer
https://insighttimer.com/One of my personal favourite relaxations is the body scan with Jon Kabat Zinn. I listen to them through YouTube but there are thousands and thousands of different styles. It is worth spending a little bit of time finding the one you like best.
https://youtu.be/i7xGF8F28zo
This one is 30 minutes which is a good starting point if this is new to you.Cleaning
Ok this may not be your bag. It isn’t normally my bag to be honest but when I am anxious I clean. Don’t ask me why, it is what it is. Day 4 of isolation I felt particularly twitchy and by day 5 the cleaning had started. May as well spring clean while I’m stuck here. It is giving me some goals to focus on and then the spring cleaning will be done. Double winner!Cooking/baking
Now is a great time to polish up your baking skills. Why not host a Facebook bake off among your friends. Challenge yourself to make dishes using the contents of your fridge. I find cooking helps distract me when I’m feeling anxious and you get the added bonus of feeding you all at the end of it. Unless you have been panic buying. In that case enjoy your pasta and bog roll!Ok guys I hope some of you will find some of that helpful. I have been self isolating so I completely understand the cabin fever. I have never been very good at staying in and I can’t wait until Friday! Please feel free to message me if you are struggling. I am not trained but I am a good listener.
We got this guys, we can do it, I promise as long as we help each other and remember to be kind.
Love and peace xxx