On March 11, COVID-19Ā was officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Philippines has since been put under Code Red Sublevel 2 and class suspensions as well as community quarantines have been enforced in Metro Manila for 30 days.
While we take all measures to protectĀ ourselvesĀ from the virus, there's alsoĀ another thing that might be crucial even in a health crisis like the global COVID-19 situation: our mental health.Ā Many of us might be experiencing anxiety or worry over the situation without even realizing how severe these feelings are becoming and how seriousĀ their impact is on how we go about our everyday lives and how we respond in times of crises.
We talked to Dr. Karina Galang Fernandez, Executive Director of Ateneo Bulatao Center, about how to manage fear and panic during cases like the COVID-19 pandemic.
How to know if our actions are already signs of panic
Dr. Fernandez points out the familiar, more common expressions of panic like: becoming more hyperactive than usual, being very restless, or doing lots of big movements. However, she also points out, āWe have to realize that while these are the common manifestations, we also have to understand that the stress from this and other problematic situations might also manifest in the totally opposite way.ā Being more quiet or withdrawn and isolating yourself are also signs to watch out for.
At the end of day, Dr. Fernandez emphasizes that we should observe any significant changes in our usual habits. āAre we noticing changes in their everyday behavior and how they usually respond to different stimuli? We want to watch out for certain changes in behavior and emotional state.ā
How to stay level-headed when youāre stuck at home
Given the extended class suspension, community quarantine, and social distancing measures imposed in Metro Manila in response to the community transmission of COVID-19, individuals are highly encouraged to stay at home. Having limited exposure to what has been happening outside our homes aside from what we see or read from media outlets and on the Internet, many may feel helpless or uneasy.
Dr. Fernandez advises that maintaining certain parts of your routines as much as possible will help ease your feelings of restlessness and give you a sense of control in situations we cannot regulate. āWhatās good in a way is that students are still required to do work, so we have online assessment and online lectures,ā she says. āTrying to still have some semblance of your everyday life is good. Having a sort of routine, a sense of productivity, can really help you contain any sense of panic or distress because your mind is still focused on things you can do and can control.ā
How to manage feelings of anxiety or panic
Dr. Fernandez shares a few guidelines on managing our fears and anxieties in times like this:
- Take a breath. Practicing breathing exercises helps us calm down.
- Limit your daily news intake. To avoid being overwhelmed, donāt listen to or read the news all the time. Choose a certain period in the day when you look up news updates instead of constantly refreshing your feeds.
- More importantly, choose where you get your newsārefer to media news outlets instead of reading every Viber and Facebook message that comes out thatās not connected to credible sources.
- If you start to feel overwhelmed, shift your attention to something else, like listening to music or watching your favorite YouTubersā vlogs. Dr. Fernandez advises, āIf you like or enjoy a certain hobby, engage in those. Itās really about not drowning yourself with information that would only make your feelings worse.ā
- Find a support system. Fernandez says, āIf you notice yourself spiraling, call someone, text someone, Messenger someone, because we know that with any kind of stress, talking to someone is helpful.āĀ
How to handle other peopleās feelings of anxiety or panic
Managing our own stress is one thing, but in cases like the COVID-19 pandemic, we arenāt the only ones who may be feeling stressed or panicked by the situation. The people close to usāour parents, siblings, friendsāmay also be under a similar sense of distress.
If any of your family members express feelings of fear or anxiety, Dr. Fernandezā first advice is to exercise compassion. āWe know that empathy can be very, very helpful. Allow them to bring it out. Validate, respect, and empathize with what they are thinking. Share with them the tips mentioned above.ā
For younger children, Dr. Fernandez says that affirming the correct actions will help. āFor younger children, validate what theyāre doing right, like washing their hands and staying at home.ā
For our parents, Dr. Fernandez says that, āa lot of patience is important. Contradicting them or raising your voice to them will only agitate them further.ā
Instead, maybe having an exchange of ideas with them might help. āDiscuss with them, āWhat else pa kaya can we do, mom?ā or āHow did you handle stress before? What helped you handle them?ā Trying to bring up other stories of when they were able to rise of to adversity or how they managed and remained resilient in the past can also be helpful.ā
While empathy is very important (Wouldnāt you want someone else to identify with and validate your concerns as well?), we are not obligated to manage someone elseās distress if we are not in a proper disposition to help. If you feel that you are unable to aid someone else handle their worries, Dr. Fernandezā advice is to respectfully inform them without being dismissive of their worries. āYou can say, āIām hearing your worries about this; Iām also panicking in my own internal state.ā I think rather than brush them off immediately, allow them to say it for a while and echo their thoughts.ā
At the end of the day, Dr. Fernandez emphasizes the importance of caring for our mental health, even during a crisis that predominantly affects physical health. For her last piece of advice, Dr. Fernandez says, āBy taking care of your mental health, you become more physically resilient; your psychological well-being can affect your physical well-being.ā