This is the second part to a 2 part series on helping your child (and yourself) to cope with your anxiety regarding COVID-19. The following is a list of evidence-based practices for management of anxiety as well as some general recommendations derived from a fellow-anxiety-sufferer’s plentiful experience in ineffective coping. I did learn that there is a better way! Enjoy benefitting from my life lessons built on many years of painful growth. While these strategies may not rid you of experiencing grief and anxiety at this time, it is my hope that they will help you to navigate these uncharted waters with your head above the surface and, perhaps, to find joy and peace in the eye of the storm. Now let’s get to the good stuff…
You and Your Child's COVID-19 Anxiety Survival Guide: Part 1
I have become intimately acquainted with the feelings of fear and anxiety throughout the course of my life. I can distinctly recall the first asthma attack that I had on the soccer field as a small child… the jolt of panic, the surge of adrenaline, the fight-or-flight response propelling me to seek out my mother for help. This occurrence on the soccer field set in motion my life-long battle with anxiety, particularly about my breathing. Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between what “feels” like I can’t breathe versus when I really am not breathing well.