Managing Stress

First, deal with your problems in a structured way. With so many issues you might need to address during the pandemic, you may feel overwhelmed. It can be useful to identify which things are actually problems that need to be solved, and which are merely worries. Procedure: Dealing with problems in a structured way is a resource that can help you do so. Also, avoid substance use (including smoking, vaping, and alcohol) even though you want to cope with stress, anxiety, or depression. Although substances may initially appear to help you with reducing stress, but they can actually worsen things in the long run. Your brain and body would develop tolerance to the effects of these substances, and users have to compensate by intaking more and more. Thus, substance use leads to additional harms and often delays recovery from the stress. Some resources that provide information on using substances during the pandemic include:

Information about Alcohol & COVID-19

Guidance for People Who Use Substances on COVID-19

You should also understand your stress level, because doing so would

help you make a plan for how to manage your stress and anxiety. When some experience too much stress, they may feel a loss of control, excessive worry, and other negative emotions. By managing stress and anxiety, we can maintain positive mental health as the pandemic evolves. The resources below would tell you how much stress you are experiencing, whether you’re experiencing too much of it, and your coping capacity.   

Perceived Stress Scale

How Much Stress Is Too Much?

The Severity of Your Stress Symptoms

You can use these results to help yourself cope with the anxiety and fear that are being caused by this pandemic.