With the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, you might feel more stressed, anxious, or depressed than usual. To help us discuss the pandemic’s effects on mental health, we interviewed Family Health Clinic Behavioral Health Specialist Allison Dowty.

Here are the questions we cover:

• What are some of the most prominent mental effects of the COVID pandemic that you think people should be aware of?
• What advice can you give to people trying to adjust to things opening back up?
• How can individuals manage anxiety from the news about COVID?
• What tips do you have for someone placed in a situation that makes them anxious in public?
• At what point do you feel like it’s helpful for someone to go to a therapist? 

What are some of the most prominent mental effects of the COVID pandemic that you think people should be aware of?

Many people are experiencing an increase in overall anxiety and depression symptoms. These can look different from person to person. 

Many of our patients are expressing increased anxiety related to leaving their homes, being in areas where there are more people, and a general fear of them or a loved one being exposed to the virus. 

Additionally, we are hearing more patients expressing feeling lonely and isolated as they spend more time at home and are not able to engage in as many social activities with loved ones. 

For many people, the increase in stress can cause a subsequent increase in irritability. Some people notice they feel more “on edge” or lose their temper more easily than normal. Many of the patients we talk to at the clinic are reporting changes in their sleep and eating patterns which can also indicate a stress response.  

What advice can you give for people trying to adjust to things opening back up?

When I talk about trying to achieve goals with my clients, I often quote the movie What About Bob? in which Bill Murray’s character yells out, “Baby steps!” when he feels his therapist is pushing him to do too much, too fast. 

Try to be patient with yourself and others. It is a normal human response to have difficulty adjusting to change, which we have experienced a lot of over the past several months.

Try taking “baby steps” toward the goals you want to achieve. Try identifying the overall goal. Your goal could be to “get back to the gym,” “go out to eat with a friend,” or “go to the grocery store.” Then, think of small steps you might need to practice to help you achieve that goal. Also, consider things you can control to make the situation less stressful for you.

For instance, you might call ahead to request outdoor seating at a restaurant. Or, you could ask the gym staff what times are less crowded so you can start easing your way back into your previous habits. 

One of the most important things is to avoid measuring yourself with someone else’s ruler. Just because other people feel ready to resume some of their previous activities does not mean you should feel that way as well.  

How can individuals manage anxiety from the news about COVID? 

For some people, hearing news reports about the virus can be scary and to others, it can be reassuring to feel informed. If you notice that you are experiencing some anxiety after reading articles or watching the news, consider setting some limits with yourself around this. 

You may want to check the news only once per day or for a pre-determined length of time. Consider getting your information directly from reputable sources that are not dependent on the number of clicks on an article for revenue. Examples include the Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization, and the Indiana State Department of Health. 

Some news organizations sensationalize their articles and titles because the more people who read them, the more money they get from advertisers and people are more likely to share information on social media if they have a strong emotional reaction to it. If you notice yourself having a stress reaction related to the news, try doing something fun to distract yourself and give yourself a mental and emotional break.     

What tips do you have for someone placed in a situation that makes them anxious in public?

This can be challenging because everyone’s comfort level around others right now is truly an individual experience. In situations you are feeling anxious about another person’s actions in public, you always have a choice of ignoring the behavior, leaving, or addressing the behavior with the individual. 

In situations you feel the behavior needs to be addressed, it helps get your message across if you are able to calmly express the concern you are having about the behavior itself, without blaming or shaming the individual. 

An effective strategy for this can be using an “I message.”  The basic structure is the phrase, “I feel ____ (feeling) when ___(action or behavior) and I ____ (change you would like to see).”  For example, “I feel anxious when someone stands close to me and I would appreciate it if you would move back a little.” 

Ultimately we do not have control over other people’s behavior but we always have some element of control in how we choose to respond to it which can be comforting in and of itself.    

At what point do you feel like it’s helpful for someone to go to a therapist? 

Most people will adjust to the changes we are experiencing right now without the need for therapy, provided they have a good support system and healthy coping skills. 

My typical advice is this: seek professional help when you feel like you are having difficulty functioning.  If you feel life events and the resulting stress are making it too challenging to maintain healthy relationships, perform work and household duties, and do other meaningful activities in your daily life, you should consider seeking counseling. 

If you would like to discuss options available, please call the clinic at (800) 321-5043 and ask to speak with one of our behavioral health staff members.