Every day, the Public Health Agency reports new information on the virus’s progress. Being nervous and anxious is therefore quite natural. A recent Novus study shows that every other Swede experiences great concern about the virus spreading in Sweden. However, some worry can be helpful in these situations, as it makes us think a little extra about how to be precautionary to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. But excessive worry can also make you feel worse. If you feel that your concerns are overwhelming to you, you can use the tips below.
- TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR WORRY
Anxiety and worry are the body’s and the brain’s alarm system that causes us to take action. That’s good as long as the anxiety doesn’t get overwhelming, so you engage in behaviors that aren’t helpful to you. One way of creating balance can be, for example, to search for news about the Coronavirus for only 30 minutes per day. - STOP CONCERN & DWELLING
If the concern and dwelling don’t lead anywhere, it’s time to stop. For example, you can test the “two-minute rule”. If you have spent two minutes thinking about the Coronavirus, you can ask yourself if you have come to any new insight or solved a problem. If the answer is no, the worry is completely unnecessary to you. Then it’s time to stop the dwelling process by doing some other type of activity, such as taking a walk, listening to music or talking to a friend. - GET HELP SORTING YOUR THOUGHTS
Sometimes it can be challenging to stop thoughts by yourself, especially if you have struggled with them for a long period. Research shows that it’s very effective to put words into one’s emotions. It makes it easier for you to regulate your anxieties or fears. It can be helpful to talk to a professional therapist who can help you manage the concerns and create acceptance for the situation.
Through your employer, you have access to prepaid and anonymous sessions with a therapist via the BlueCall app. You will always get a time within 24 hours. Download the app and we will help you.
