Managing COVID-19 Anxiety—Again

Available for Interviews: Dr. Colleen Cira:

Dr. Colleen Cira is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who specializes in Women and Trauma, and has worked with hundreds of people struggling with mental health issues.

 

Talking Points from Dr. Cira
On Managing COVID-19 Anxiety:

Eight months into the pandemic and numbers of the Coronavirus spiking once again around the country, we may find our apprehensiveness climbing again. Here are a few things that people can do to better manage their anxiety.

1) Control what you actually
have control over

  • Follow CDC guidelines, wear masks, wash your hands, work from home if you can, make financial plans, childcare plans, quarantine plans, etc.  If we focus on what we DO have control over, we can channel our worry into something more productive.

2) Do not check the news/social media
a billion times a day

    • Is it important to stay informed? – Yes!
    • Do you have to check a billion times a day to stay informed? – No!
    • Anything else just fuels anxiety—so turn your phone off, put restrictions if you don’t trust yourself, do whatever you need to do to limit how often you are following this.

3) Do not spiral into
catastrophic thinking

If you catch yourself doing this:

    • Ask yourself what the evidence is for these thoughts.
    • Remind yourself of the facts.
    • Ask yourself if what you are saying is helpful or harmful.
    • Replace catastrophic thoughts with more accurate and helpful thoughts.

Being several months into this health crisis has at least afforded us more knowledge about how to protect ourselves and loved ones—as well as helping to slow the spread of the virus collectively as responsible citizens.  We know so much more than we knew back in March. Putting into action this knowledge will help to quell our anxiety to more reasonable levels.

 

Available for Interviews: Dr. Colleen Cira

Dr. Colleen D. Cira, Psy.D. received both her Masters and Doctorate from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology and has been practicing in the field since 2001. Dr. Cira is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and the Founder and Executive Director of Cira Center for Behavioral Health, PC a boutique group practice with locations in Chicago and Oak Park that specializes in Women’s Issues/Health and Trauma. Dr. Cira is a trauma and anxiety expert, clinical supervisor, writer, speaker, consultant, activist, wife, and Mommy to two little ones.


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Jo Allison
PR Managing Editor
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