Anxiety in Corona for Teenagers
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is making it harder for teenagers to carry on their lives without anxiety issues. Since, the schools, colleges, and many other institutions are closed, many teens are missing out on some of the happy and good moments of their young lives.
The ongoing stress, fear, grief, isolation, and uncertainty that arise during this pandemic can wear anyone down, but the teenagers have had an especially tough time coping emotionally. Typical reactions of anxiety among teenagers include:
● Feeling stressed, frustrated or angry, worried or anxious
● Feeling restless, angry, or unable to calm down
● Tiredness, sad, fatigued, losing interest in normal activities, or finding it hard to feel happy
However, everyone reacts differently to stressful situations, so expecting any specific reaction is not useful. Following are some tips to help you cope with anxiety in the corona and give you a sense of control even during an uncertain time. These are simple techniques with proven benefits.
Anxiety is completely normal
Many teenagers might be getting frustrated and feeling anxious sitting at home due to the closure of school and colleges. But the truth is, many psychologists have recognized that anxiety is a normal and healthy function alerting us to threats and helps us take measures to protect ourselves. Anxiety helps you to make decisions that you need to be
taking in difficult situations. And, anxiety during COVID-19 is completely understandable. If you are experiencing symptoms, speak up to your parents about it and considerit normal. Do not hype up that you are getting anxiety at this age. It happens with everyone.
It’s natural to feel anxious whenever we are in a crisis, the unknown, or sudden change. Anxiety is a normal reaction to feel the need for safety and acts as a signal to pay attention so we can protect ourselves. It prompts us to adapt. But when we’re overwhelmed by anxiety, it can do more harm than good.
Try to create distractions
Psychologists say that if you are under chronically difficult conditions,divide the problem into two categories: things I can do something about, and then things I can do nothing about. Don’t pressurize yourself because of the things which you can not do.Creating distractions from our miseries helps us to deal with anxiety. For teenagers what’s better than watching a favorite movie or getting in bed with a novel to seek relief and find balance in the day-to-day. Be aware of situations that make you feel worried or anxious. When you’re stuck in a situation where you might get anxiety attacks, try relaxation or distraction techniques or ask a family member or friend to help. Calming anxiety is not about ignoring problems but about finding a balance to cope well; to help ourselves and each other through this situation.
Connect with your friends
Social media is a great way to connect with friends while you’re practicing social distancing. But it’s not a good idea to have unfettered
access to screens and or social media. So work out a screen-time schedule with your parents to cope up with your anxiety.
Staying in touch with friends and family helps to cope up with anxiety in corona. Even though we’re homebound, we can reach out by phone, video chat, or social media. We can feel close by connecting virtually with our closed ones, even while we’re apart
Focus on you
Focus on yourself and find out ways to use your new-found free time productively so that you can look after your mental health. Now it’s the time to learn how to do something new, start a new book or spend time practicing a musical instrument, and so on. Don’t get stuck over a single thing. Life is dealing with different circumstances, so take this pandemic as another challenge of life and overcome it.
Rely on Routines
Establish a routine that includes exercise, regular meals, and healthy amounts of sleep to regulate your moods and worries. Our old routines are severely affected by the COVID-19, but try to look for ways to be flexible and plan a new routine that can help you feel less anxious and more productive. Do not forget that life is continuing, and ground yourself by doing things like making agendas and setting goals. Despite being at home, find ways to be active every day. There are a lot of ways to go outside and still practice social distancing (also called physical distancing). Include exercise in your daily routine as it generates hormones that boost the immune system.
Feel your feelings
Missing out on events with friends, outdoor fun and activities are incredibly disappointing for teenagers. The best way to deal with this disappointment is to let yourself feel it and not think about it much. The only way to overcome the painful feeling is to go through it. If you are sad, let yourself feel sad, and hence, you’ll start to feel better faster.
Processing your feelings looks different for everyone. Every kid processes their feelings differently. For example, some kids will make an art, listen music, some will want to talk to their friends and share their feelings to feel connected with them in a time when they can’t be together in person, while some might not prefer sharing their feelings with others.