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Tips for Health Anxiety During Coronavirus

Posted on 21 March 2020

1) Start each day with some mindfulness or yoga exercises. Ensure your first thoughts are of calm, quiet and connection with your inner self.

2) The news can be really disconcerting, and it reaches you through the TV, WhatsApp, Twitter, so many places. If you are going to read or watch the news, only engage with information shared from trusted sources like:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

By reading these you could reassure yourself that you’re taking appropriate action, then limit time spent reading about the pandemic

3) Allow yourself to have breaks from social media – mute phrases or unfollow people who may be triggering your health anxiety

4) Do some breathing exercises when things feel overwhelming

5) Sign up to therapy for anxiety. This is available by Googling your local area and ‘IAPT’. You’ll find a form to fill in about your experiences of anxiety, and someone should call you back to arrange an assessment. If services are disrupted because of Coronavirus, you could try an online CBT porgram like this: https://ecouch.anu.edu.au/new_users/welcome01