How One Germaphobe Hyponchondriac is Staying Sane During the COVID-19 Pandemic

So, yeah, we’re all currently living in a weird nightmare with this COVID-19 pandemic panic, right?

I have been joking (to myself) these last few days that I have been preparing for this moment my whole life. You see, I am a fun combination of germaphobe and hypochondriac. A combo like that is ideal for a pandemic; I am fully prepared to remain on high alert and to take intense precautions to keep germs away from my body. And I’ll probably be thinking I have COVID-19 for weeks until the panic dies down, so that will mean I’ll stay in virtual isolation, thus protecting others from my own germs. Wow, imagine that, my anxiety issues are finally coming in handy after all this time.

That should all be read with a sarcastic tone, just in case you weren't sure. 😏 

I joke, but I also get this is a serious situation. I’m not intending to make light of the real fear people are feeling right now, nor do I think mental illness/anxiety is funny (I really do suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder and I struggle with germaphobia and hyponchondria everyday). What I do think is that I need to find some way to find humor and joy in all this mess, so that’s where I’m at right now.

And all of this obsessing and worrying can be pretty exhausting, especially during “trying times like these”. (Seriously, if I receive one more email with that phrase, I might toss my laptop out the window).

So here’s how I am staying sane right now; maybe these tips can help you, too:

·         I am focusing on the things I can control: the reason I get anxious about illness in general, never mind COVID-19, is because of my perceived lack of control when it comes to getting sick. The truth is, you can do everything right and still end up sick, and that always scares me. But when it starts to overwhelm me, I make a mental list of all the things in my span of control that I can do to be as healthy as possible, and I focus on them. Taking vitamins, washing my hands, staying in smaller groups and keeping a sizeable distance from others, wiping down my work station and the inside of my car with sanitation wipes, getting plenty of rest and water, and paying attention to my body and symptoms.

·         I channel my energy into something useful: Anxiety gives me a lot of excess energy, which can make it hard (sometimes impossible) for me to relax. I have found the best way to combat that energy is to exercise. I run, do yoga, and meditate regularly. I have started teaching yoga. I throw myself into big work projects so I can do what I do best – problem solving. Sometimes I take a workshop or a class. Doing these things helps me burn off anxious energy and gives me something positive to focus on in the meantime.

·         I take a deep breath, and accept what is: This one is usually easier said than done. But sometimes you just have to accept what is happening around you. It’s easier to swim with the current instead of against it. When you allow yourself to float along, it can be a little scary relinquishing that urge to control everything, but it’s definitely not as scary as thrashing and fighting the panic. This has become my general rule of thumb when it comes to managing my anxiety. The more I allow myself to accept the uncontrollable situations around me, the less panicky I feel.

·        I give myself and others a little (or a lot of) grace and forgive the humanness of it all: This past week has reminded me of the months that followed 9/11/01; when mass hysteria ensues, it can sometimes bring out our least flattering traits. We panic and go into survival mode and before you know it, people are saying and doing things they normally wouldn’t. Being scared is no excuse to be rude, but I understand where it comes from, and I can empathize with that fear. And I forgive myself and others for needing to be a little human and maybe not dealing with life perfectly. Fear can also bring people together too – I am hoping to see more of that in the coming days.

And lastly, because I just needed to share one more humorous thing with you, here is a meme I just created to describe how I am feeling this week:

This is actually one of my favorite scenes from Game of Thrones. Jon Snow is alone in this moment and he draws his sword to face an enormous army that is charging at him. I have seen this episode more than once and I always get choked up when I watch this scene.

But I laugh at this meme now, because this is quite literally how I feel – standing here alone, trying to be brave, and this pandemic is just charging at me, full speed. And all I can do is raise my sword and pray. Or in this case, wash my hands. Hand washing is my sword!

But for those who have seen the Game of Thrones series, don’t forget how this particular episode ended. The pandemic won’t win. It will be messy and scary and it will definitely get worse before it gets better, but in the end we will get through this.

So for now, take a deep breath, try to remain calm, and of course, wash your damn hands.😀