Dealing with Coronavirus (COVID-19) From the Health Ministry

 

Perhaps you are anxious about coronavirus and how it is impacting our lives. It is certainly natural to feel this way. Here are some tips that may help you to cope:

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Validate your feelings - it is a normal response to worry about the unknown (there is so much that we don’t know about this virus).

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Distinguish between productive and unproductive worry - unproductive worry keeps us in a cycle of negative thinking and fear (such as being afraid to walk outside). Productive worry leads to action (doing things we’ve been taught to protect ourselves: such as handwashing, maintaining social distances, healthy eating, exercising, covering nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing, avoiding hugs and handshakes, staying home, and NOT allowing people to visit you if they are sick).

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Accept uncertainty and what you cannot control - remember the Serenity Prayer, and do what is in your control to do (such as staying in touch with people by phone/email/text, using this time to work on your to-do list). Engage in something enjoyable.

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Avoid information from unreliable sources - get your information from trusted sources (Center for Disease Control [CDC], Michigan Department of Health, County & City Health Departments, and health systems [such as Henry Ford, Ascension, Beaumont, St. Joe]). Also avoid information overload by taking a break from all the information about coronavirus.

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Set aside worry time - allow yourself 15 minutes a day to worry. If you find yourself worrying longer, focus your thoughts on something pleasant and positive. Motivational speaker Les Brown said that you can have a pity party, but you can’t stay there.

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Have daily goals - keep busy with positive things. Meditate, read your Bible and other inspirational material. (Read Psalm 46:1-3) Keeping busy with positive goals will help distract you form being worried.

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REMEMBER: GOD IS IN CONTROL AND HE’S GOT THIS!