5 ways to avoid coronavirus-related anxiety
This article contains a collaboration with a brand.
Alright kids - here we are; the world has been put on pause for a couple of months - and many of our questions about what some journalists are calling the “after world” will remain unanswered. If you’re in the midst of a storm of second-guessing, self-doubt, and anxiety (because let’s face it, none of us have any idea how to naviguate this situation), then you and I are on the same boat. This is the reason why I have decided to wrap up some of the things that have made me feel more relaxed during this time - and I hope they will for you too.
1. Don’t be afraid to seek help.
These are super tricky times. Most of us have never lived through a pandemic (unless you are 110 years old, in which case I would love to talk to you about how you dealt with the spanish flu), and apart from the AIDS crisis, things have never been this bad for this many people.
You should not be afraid to seek help. Call your friends, call you family. Call a therapist. There are many ways to get therapy through the phone without putting anyone at risk. We should not be undermining the psychological effects of the crisis, which we know can last for a little longer than the pandemic itself.
As I know many of you come from different countries, my best suggestion if you want to seek professional help is to have a look at your local/national solutions (online or through the government guidelines, for example).
2. Have you ever tried CBD?
I know my mother will probably resend her startled message when she reads this (if you haven’t seen it in my instagram stories, I suggest you start watching my instagram stories for such burning content), but I do want to talk to you about Herts Hemp’s CBG and CBG cannabis oil. A few months ago the brand got in touch with me about these products for their calming effects. You may know that I have suffered from insomnia in the past, and since I have tried many things on the planet that didn’t end up working, I thought I would give this a go.
Herts Hemp specialises in high-quality CBD and CBG products, and everything they use is organic. The hemp used in the products is grown in the EU, and are non-GMO. Now if you’re looking for some weed, this is not the thing for you. I cannot stress this enough (listen, mum, please), this is not a replacement for smoking, or for getting high. The idea of CBD and CBG is that you get the soothing effects of the plan without the hallucinogenic effects, which has no effect on your brain in terms of damage, and only contributes to your wellbeing.
Also, it is 100% legal: CBD is not considered a controlled substance in the UK. It is therefore 100% legal and can be freely distributed in the UK without restrictions. (you will have to check for your country if you are reading this from outside the Queen’s beloved land). You can find all the information about the products here.
But what does it do? Well, after you put a couple of drops under your tongue, you let it sit for 60 seconds, swallow, and wait for it to operate. As I said, it will not put you in a state of hallucination and whatnot - but, from my experience with this specific product, it has helped with my (slight) anxiety issues, and definitely made me sleep better when I used it. I do think that lockdown is a perfect time to try CBD if you have ever been curious about it, considering if you find it doesn’t fit you, then you’ll still be at home with nothing to do, so… yeah. If you have any questions about the product, you can always feel free to ask me (here or on my DMs on instagram), or check out the Herts Hemp website, or their instagram page (they have been super lovely with all my questions :).
3. Staying productive, without feeling like you’re not doing enough
Have you seen all your favourite bloggers working out and talking about their summer body when they already have a summer body? Have you seen them work tirelessly at their desk all day while you’re wondering why it has been a month of this and you haven’t even watched a thing on your Netflix list, yet still managed to binge 100 shows?
Okay.
Last week, I told you all about my workout sessions at home (with a few unflattering photos of my strawberry like complexion post-workout) on my instagram, and a few of you asked me how I was staying motivated. The simple answer is - I am not. I am not following a regular working out plan and making sure I eat healthy. I eat pasta 5 times a week, I still drink way too much coffee and I’ll have a coke at lunch if I feel like it. I work out because I feel like working out, and if I don’t, I won’t. I find that stressing yourself out with tasks that you know won’t make you feel better are not worth the pain, especially at times where existence is a little bit tricky.
I have always been a runner, not because I want to ruin my knees and my bladder forever but because it helps me think, it helps me make space in my own head. If this is something that works for you, then do it. If it doesn’t, and you feel like watching a TV show because that will make you feel better, then do that instead. I find that by not pushing yourself to do things just because you saw an influencer do it makes things easier. Saying “I will work out once this week” is easier than thinking “I need to do that 345 step program that burns 3k calories in an hour to look like X Y or Z”. First of all, that influencer you love so much? She doesn’t look like that in real life. And also, if she does, that’s her job. You have other things to worry about (like why you aren’t following me on instagram, which is a true crime to be honest).
4. Do things with your hands
No bad jokes there. You might have seen me sewing in the past couple of weeks - and I find that to be one of my solutions to stay sane. I have always been a manual person, even though I was never really good at art in general (guess why I became a blogger!), but I do love spending time painting and sewing and building things. It also allows you to spend time away from your screens, which are destroying your eyesight one retweet at a time, and you can do something productive, or super ugly, and then send it flying in a therapeutic way (I’ll tell you all about how I almost threw my mum’s sewing machine out the window in a soon to be posted Youtube video.
My friends have indulged in things like puzzles, furniture refurbishing, closet cleaning and much more, if you need examples.
5. Stay connected to your friends
Life isn’t over. Relationships aren’t over. Love isn’t over (barf). Sorry. I saw that on a t-shirt somewhere.
Anyway, your friends will still be around when we come out of this, your crush will still be around for you ask him/ her why they left you on read that time, and everything will go back to “normal”. So stay in touch!
Download houseparty, download discord, yell at your friends through a phone or because they cannot draw anything on a computer version of pictionary. If you’re locked down with your parents, they will be mad at you for waking them up at 11 p.m. by yelling “HOW IS THAT STEVE JOBS???”, but in the grand scheme of things, they’ll forget about it, and at least you’ll have had a good laugh. However, be careful with all those houseparty wine nights you’re having, because as a dear friend pointed out to me recently, once the call ends, you’re just drunk alone in your living room. And trust me, that’s not a good look on anyone.
You can also start watching Tiger King or Too hot to handle with your best mates through Netflix Party (a chrome extension), and trust me, there’s a lot to say about both.
Just remember guys, this isn’t forever, and boredom is the best thing we can all ask for right now.
I also wanted to thank all the hospital workers across the globe that are making it possible for people to come out of this crisis alive, all the supermarket workers who allow all of us to make banana bread at home and much more, and all the people who make the world work while we are all staying safe inside our home.
I hope you’re staying safe, and I’ll see you out there soon.