Signs & symptoms of anxiety:

• Feeling nervous, restless or tense

• Having sense of impending danger, panic or doom

• Having an increased heart rate

• Breathing rapidly

• Sweating

• Trembling

• Feeling weak or tired

• Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry

• Having trouble sleeping

• Experiencing gastrointestinal problems

• Having difficulty controlling worry

• Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

 When feeling anxious or worried about something specific, tap into your relaxation response instead:

• Notice the thoughts.

• Accept and observe the thought without judgment. Ruminating and obsessing can make it worse and lead to immune system affect. Instead psychologists suggest “Scheduling your worry time.” Setting a daily half-hour “worry period” at the same time and place will help you stay in the present moment the rest of the day. During this time slot, try to distinguish between worries over which you have little or no control, and worries about problems you can influence.

• Practice meditation- let thoughts flow and breathe your way Try this free exercise.

• Add affirming statements to your thoughts: “I am resilient and strong. I can cope with this and have survived other challenges in the past.”

• Let go of what you cannot control. We cannot control everything, only our own reactions to those things.

 Reframe your thinking:

• Write down thoughts in a journal. This will help you gather information about those thoughts and feelings and gain insight. Try one of these journaling apps.

• Notice distortions of your thoughts. Be realistic about what thoughts are accurate versus thoughts you have changed throughout your processing.

• Replace/reframe with positive coping thoughts.

• Defuse anxious thoughts: The point of mindfulness meditation isn't to make anxiety go away, but will instead change the relationship you have with your anxiety and create a sense of self apart from swirling thoughts and turbulent feelings.

• Practice acknowledging the anxious thoughts or feelings and simply let them pass. Eventually, they won't have such a stranglehold on you.

Distract yourself:

• Explore one of these free activities online

• Take advantage of digital connections: Skype, Phone/FaceTime, and game apps.

• Check out online support groups.

 Get moving:

• Create a new daily routine that includes things you look forward to and get you moving.

• Check out our virtual fitness offerings.

Find purpose and meaning in your life as it is now:

• Explore Spirituality. Attend your favorite church services online or take this time to explore new and different methods of spirituality.

• Create art/crafts. Be creative and have fun with your projects. This is a great way to express your feelings or explore new hobbies.

• Help others via acts of kindness or volunteer to help in community.

• Feel compassion for others. Helping others can improve our own wellbeing while protecting us from emotional burnout.

 Loving Kindness Meditation:

• Think of someone who is easy for you to love (child, pet, family member, significant other) and send out these thought as your breathe in and out:

• May you be happy

• May you be healthy

• May you care for yourself joyfully

• May you be safe

Sources: 
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coronavirus-bonus-help-others-to-help-yourself/i d1474245040?i=1000469987287 https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/mental-trick-helped-me-claw-way-back-debilitati ng-anxiety-ncna834751