How to cope with health anxiety related to the coronavirus pandemic

​The global coronavirus situation is evolving rapidly, and it can feel very overwhelming to keep up with the many headlines and ever-changing governmental rules and expert recommendations. Many of us, understandably, are experiencing new or increased feelings of anxiety related to the coronavirus pandemic — which is affecting our daily lives in a multitude of significant ways.

It's completely normal to experience health anxiety right now, in the midst of a global pandemic, says Dr. Martin Antony, a professor of psychology at Ryerson University and co-author of The Anti-Anxiety Workbook. But not all of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques that you might use to manage everyday anxiety will be applicable in this acute situation. "Many of the strategies that we would normally use for anxiety, when people have anxiety about something when there is no real threat, are not necessarily relevant, or not relevant in the same way, in a situation where there is a potential threat," says Dr. Antony.

​www.cbc.ca/life/wellness/how-to-cope-with-health-anxiety-related-to-the-coronavirus-pandemic-1.5499698?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar

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