By Sumedha
HOW FEAR OF FALLING ILL CAN EXPRESS ITSELF DURING COVID
Variety of responses that the fear can trigger:
- Overprotectiveness- self, family members
- Avoidance – avoiding the news, people, events, seeking help
- Taking excessive precautionary behaviours
- Preoccupation with one’s health
- A constant sense of helplessness
- Repetitive thoughts
- Worry
- Replaying of past scenarios/images
- Denial of its existence
- Getting angry at oneself or family members / Difficulty in managing one’s emotions
- Constant worry about loss, loss of loved one, job
- Restlessness/ difficulty relaxing
- Hypervigilance to any sign or Looking for signs
- Limited social interaction/ Aloofness
- Frequently searching the Internet
- Physiological changes: disturbed sleep, dizziness, excessive sweating
- Fear of losing control
Fear is a natural response to the current havoc, however, can be managed in more adaptive ways.
Management
- Relaxation and Paced breathing
- Differentiate between rational and irrational thoughts
- Check the facts
- Talking about the fear
- Involvement in pleasant activities
- Exercise & Involvement in physical activities
- Working on uncertainty tolerance
- Seek professional help
- Seek help In case of underlying grief
- Participate in small group activities virtually or physically