Coping with COVID-19: Resources for Managing Mental Health

Despite coronavirus, Trump keeps shaking hands(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)Don ' t shake hands. Maintain a distance of 6 feet. Don ' t touch surfaces that could contain respiratory droplets. Don ' t touch your face. [It ' svery hard tonot touch your face.]When your leaders fail to follow the most basic guidelines forpreventing the spread of COVID-19, trust and confidence are eroded.Trump coronavirus press conference an exemplar of what not to do  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)The coronavirus pandemic has raised (nearly) everyone ' s level of anxiety and stress. Rampant panic buying, superstore shelves emptied of toilet paper, selfish people hoarding hand sanitizer. Worries about elderly relatives, jobs, money, health care costs.If you already have a serious anxiety disorder, how can you possibly cope in the current climate of fear and uncertainty? What if one of the core recommendations to help prevent disease transmission is the very pathology you ' ve worked so hard to overcome?Obsessive-Compulsive DisorderContamination fears cause many individuals with OCD to compulsively wash their hands. Meanwhile, the directive to frequently wash your hands with soap& water for 20 seconds could be quite triggering for some. The International OCD Foundation has provided helpful resources:Resources for the OCD and related disorders community during the COVID-19 outbreakIn times like these, what the experts are recommending temporarily becomes our new normal. This may mean th...
Source: The Neurocritic - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Source Type: blogs