Whether it’s in my office or on the street (or through phone calls to friends and family in the US and overseas), it is difficult to avoid panicked conversations about COVID-19 or Coronavirus. Understandably, even the most calm among us, are feeling some anxiety. Schools are closed, concerts and large meetings are cancelled. And you can see panic buying and the scarcity mindset in full force at the grocery store or among small retailers, where we have shortages of coveted bottles of hand sanitizer. Rolls of toilet paper are also in short supply. However, if you already suffer from anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive tendencies, the threat can seem even more dangerous. This article helpfully normalizes some of those fears and discusses the risks for people already suffering from mental health issues. It also gives some good tips to reduce some of that panic and manage our behaviours — some of which I have already shared with some of my clients. For starters: You might want to reduce your media consumption.
