Addressing The Anxiety Epidemic Amongst Us
A pandemic is fertile ground for those who suffer from anxiety and it is essential to manage the symptoms before they escalate. During this major life event, we can become paralyzed by fear and the thought of becoming ill, dying, leaving loved ones behind, and fear for our children’s wellbeing. We may engage in excessive worry and anxiety induced behaviors such as constantly checking for symptoms and signs of disease online or we can become fixated on the health of our loved ones. We may literally become engulfed in an all-consuming state of panic allowing it to take over our existence. We cannot allow ourselves to transition from living to merely surviving.
Approximately 40 million American adults – roughly 18% of the population – have an anxiety disorder. There are few statistics about health anxiety, but it can affect those who have an existing anxiety disorder or those who have experienced other life events such as bereavement, birth trauma or an accident. In times like these, where a global pandemic is taking up most of the media conversation, it can be even more difficult to stay calm and receive the attention you require. Let’s prevent a Mental Health epidemic and help one another today!