How Practitioners Can Help Patients With COVID-19 Driven Anxiety

Ever since the coronavirus took over our lives, we’ve seen events being cancelled, public places being closed down, schools and universities being shiftedonline, and a general feeling of uncertainty, gloom, and dread filling the air around us. The mounting number of deaths seems to be helping no one.

Apart from the general health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic has also had a significant impact on the overall mental health across all the severally affected countries, significantly raising stress and anxiety levels.

This is a situation most of us are experiencing for the first time and are finding it hard to navigate, calling for expert attention from trained practitioners. If you are a mental health care provider, here are some ways to help your COVID-19 driven anxiety patients.

Knowledge Is Power—Educate Them Regarding The Virus

Even though many people know most facts regarding the coronavirus, they also happen to believe many myths associated with it, leading to increased anxiety and stress. A great way to address their concerns is by distinguishing facts from truths.

Educate them about the tangible risks and dangers of the virus and help them separate myth from reality. Another great way to deter them from believing everything they see online is to encourage them to believe news from trusted sources and provide a list of said websites.

Working closely with them to help them figure out which media sources to limit and ignore can be a great starting step to helping them deal with anxiety better.

Help Them Navigate Any Confusion

Watching a close friend or family member suffer from the condition can be extremely disconcerting and triggering for many. They may believe that the same could potentially happen to them.

Help them understand how the virus affects everyone differently, clearing any confusion regarding complexities with any existing conditions. In addition, ensure them that the virus is avoidable if they follow proper precautions. This reassurance can go along way in easing their minds and relieving anxiety.

Try and Understand The Impact Of The Situation On Your Patient

Many people have lost their loved ones to the virus. Many people have watched a neighbor, a friend, or someone close suffer, and many people have come close to dying from the virus themselves.

This means that the virus not only affects each person differently at a physical level, but also at an emotional level.

It is important for healthcare practitioners to understand where their patients are coming from, and why they are in a certain emotional state.

This will not only help doctors care for them better and be more considerate, but also enable them to provide customized care that helps patients heal, recover, and return to normalcy faster.

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