An unprecedented number of Americans are currently quarantined at home due to the spread of COVID-19. This stressful time means many of us are attempting to cope with a variety of new or worsened anxiety symptoms. However, there are ways to successfully manage this anxiety from your home.
Methods for Managing Anxiety from Home
If you’re having trouble with anxiety during this ongoing crisis, a few simple but effective techniques can help you get a handle on your stress.
- Read information from credible sources to avoid unnecessary stress.
- Limit your time on social media; other people’s fears can affect your own.
- Stay connected with your loved ones virtually to decrease the sense of social isolation.
- Stick your normal routine as much as possible to retain a sense of normalcy.
- Experiment with new hobbies or creative pursuits you didn’t have the time to try before the quarantine.
- Take breaks from news stories about the pandemic or limit time spent on these stories – constant or obsessive viewing/reading can exacerbate anxiety.
- Keep your home clean & organized, as cluttered spaces tend to worsen feelings of unease.
- Exercise, stretch, or meditate to stay active & in shape.
- Eat healthy, well-balanced meals and remember to drink water.
- Avoid drugs & alcohol to prevent worsening mental health symptoms.
Have you employed the tips above but still feel overwhelmed? Reaching out to a professional may be the best option if you are unable to cope with this anxiety on your own.
Benefits of Ketamine
Along with changing your mindset and behavior during this period of anxiety, there is a promising pharmaceutical option you may want to explore with your doctor. Used mainly for anesthesia and sedation, the medication Ketamine has recently been the focus of medical studies across the country as a means of alleviating severe, treatment-resistant anxiety and depression.
Researchers have demonstrated that low doses of intravenous Ketamine can provide over 70% of patients with short-term relief (3-14 days) of their symptoms, starting hours after the first dose. Additional studies show that administering doses at weekly intervals further extends the duration of these benefits. Please contact Metropolitan Institute of Pain for more information on how Ketamine can help you.
