Ive had health anxiety for as long as I can remember.
To the surprise of absolutely nobody, I was eventually diagnosed with ananxiety disorder.
But damn, no therapist could have prepared me for apandemic.
A.J. Schokora/Adobe Stock
Scrolling through Instagram every day, Im blown away seeing so many people out and about.
Isnt everyone else freaking out as much as I am?!
Arent these people nervous?
How are they sobrave?
But Im talking about peoplechoosingto be out and about for things like socializing and shopping.
Anytime Im invited somewhere in the age of COVID-19, my fight-or-flight kicks in.
Soon after, my thoughts spiral.
You name the horrible outcome, and Ive probably thought it up before even finishing breakfast.
First, its completely normal to be nervous about leaving home right now.
Its human nature to have trouble coping with uncertainty.
Sometimes our brain fills in that uncertainty with catastrophic thoughts and possibilities.
And if someone already has the predisposition to anxiety, then this is heightened even more so for them.
I know it does for me.
Gould notes that anxietydoeshave a purpose, which is to keep us safe.
In that way, it can motivate us to take action.
Read being responsible andwearing a maskwhen we go out, social distancing, and so on.
Thats the only way were going to stop the spread of this virus.
If youre in the same situation, Gould has some advice.
Here are some tips for calming anxiety about leaving your home.
But doing things like constantly checking death tolls over and over again wont do youranxietyany favors.
Gould says to not only notice your catastrophic thinking but also actually label it as such.
She says you’ve got the option to say to yourself, Oh, there it is.
I have a tendency to do this, and I was expecting you, catastrophic thought!
Then work on practicing acceptance, which admittedly is easier said than done.
Still, have a go at accept the fact that times are uncertain.
Theres nothing we can do to change that.
Gould suggests taking a few minutes before you head out the door to center yourself.
Here are some safety tips for different public spaces.
SELF has previously reportedon tons of safety tips for all sorts of public scenarios.