MANAGING STRESS/ANXIETY AND

COPING WITH COVID 19

Ms. Kathrina Lou Resueno, RN / Ms. Fatima Mari Jumauay, RN

Pay Ward 1/JRRMMC
GENERAL OBJECTIVES
 To understand and recognize the reality of the situation and make a
plan for dealing with feelings of overwhelmed or overly distressed
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
 To recognize the symptoms of stress that may be
experiencing.
 To take steps in building resilience and management.
 To reduce the burden of negative emotions and cope
with the present situation (COVID 19).
 To know where to go if we need help.
What is COVID?
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious
disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus. This new
virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak
began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.
On 30 January 2020, the Philippine Department of
Health reported the first case of COVID-19 in the
country with a 38-year-old female Chinese national. On
7 March, the first local transmission of COVID-19 was
confirmed. WHO is working closely with the Department
of Health in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak.
COVID-19 can cause symptoms very similar
to the flu 
What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling of
unease, such as worry or
fear, that can be mild or
severe. Everyone has
feelings of anxiety at
some point in their life.
Normal” Worry vs. Generalized Anxiety Disorder

“Normal” Worry: Generalized Anxiety Disorder:

Your worrying doesn’t get in the way of your daily activities Your worrying significantly disrupts your job, activities, or
and responsibilities. social life.

You’re able to control your worrying. Your worrying is uncontrollable.

Your worries, while unpleasant, don’t cause significant

Your worries are extremely upsetting and stressful.
distress.

Your worries are limited to a specific, small number of You worry about all sorts of things, and tend to expect the
realistic concerns. worst.

You’ve been worrying almost every day for at least six

Your bouts of worrying last for only a short time period.
months.
Types of Anxiety Disorders

• PANIC DISORDERS
GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER
SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER OR SOCIAL
PHOBIA
AGORA PHOBIA
SEPARATION ANXIETY
MEDICATION OR SUBSTANCE
INDUCED ANXIETY
WAYS TO OVERCOME ANXIETY
1. Media Distancing: To stop the spread of COVID-19, we’ve had to
practice social distancing. But to stop the spread of anxiety, we must
distance ourselves from the media. All anxiety stems from uncertainty and
an active imagination which produces catastrophic thoughts.
2. Do Not Engage with Worry. Take Action: Whether you are worried about contracting the
virus, the more your mind focuses on worst-case scenarios, the more anxious you feel. You
can’t stop thoughts from entering your mind, but you can choose to stop dwelling and you can
choose to take action to solve problems. There is a huge difference between worrying and
problem solving. When your mind tries to bait you into worry, don’t take the bait. If you do,
like a fish in a lake, you will be caught. Anxiety will try to bait you with many “what if”
questions. Don’t answer them. Respond, “Not taking the bait,” turn your attention away, and
focus elsewhere. 
3. RELAX DESPITE CORONAVIRUS WORRIES
Here are some tried and true ways to relax:
•Yoga. Not a yoga person? No need to start now unless you’d like to try it. Sometimes
trying new things and discovering new activities you can benefit from and enjoy can be a
welcome, healthy distraction. Yoga Studio and Pocket Yoga are good apps to consider.
• Meditation. Regular meditation is very calming. Many apps teach
simple forms of meditation, such as Headspace or Calm.
• Controlled breathing. One simple technique is called square
breathing. Visualize your breath traveling along a square. As you
follow the instructions to inhale, hold your breath, or exhale, count
slowly to three on each side. Try it now. Inhale up the first side of the
square. Slowly count one, two, three. Hold your breath across the top.
One, two, three. Exhale down the other side of the square. One, two,
three. Then hold your breath across the bottom. One, two, three. After
a few minutes of this you should be feeling calmer and more centered.
 4. Adopt anxiety-busting habits

• Get enough sleep.

• Limit caffeine.
• Avoid alcohol and nicotine.
• Eat right. 
 5. MEDICATION FOR ANXIETY

• Medication for GAD is generally recommended only as a temporary measure to

relieve symptoms at the beginning of the treatment process, with therapy as the
key to long-term success.
• There are three types of medication prescribed for generalized anxiety disorder:
• Buspirone – This anti-anxiety drug, known by the brand name Buspar, is
generally considered to be the safest drug for generalized anxiety disorder.
Although buspirone will take the edge off, it will not entirely eliminate anxiety.
• Benzodiazepines – These anti-anxiety drugs act very quickly (usually within 30
minutes to an hour), but physical and psychological dependence are common
after more than a few weeks of use. They are generally recommended only for
severe, paralyzing episodes of anxiety.
• Antidepressants – The relief antidepressants provide for anxiety is not
immediate, and the full effect isn’t felt for up to six weeks. Some antidepressants
can also exacerbate sleep problems and cause nausea or other side effects.
6. Help line or Assistance
•Behavioral Medicine
•Psychiatrist
•Support Groups