Hi there, I only just joined and I'm worried about the Coronavirus.

[Harry_Lime]

Hi everybody.

This is my first time posting on this forum - I only joined BB last Saturday night after a bout of anxiety and depression.

The thing is, I’ve been worrying a lot about the coronavirus that is going on at the moment; every time there is a news item about it its worse than the news item before it. And now that Australia has confirmed person-to-person virus contact it seems we are going the way of China with shut downs and restrictions and the news is full of footage of statistics and even people panic buying. I know it sounds really strange where I am coming from, but its just been on my mind almost 24/7 and I am becoming obsessed with news about it which probably isn’t good. I’m genuinely scared I am going to catch it or worse. Am I the only one out there like this?

I’ve always been on the anxious side of things, a born worrier etc. I just turned fifty last year (yeah, great) and I work from home as a graphic designer. And its only me living here - my partner lives a couple of hours away in the country. I’ve told her what I am going through and she is very low key about the whole coronavirus situation.

I’d really appreciate some ideas, feedback etc.

Thanks guys! 🙂

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi Harry Lime,

It's great to hear back from you and it looks as though you are getting lots of support here which is wonderful.

I'm really glad to hear you got stuck into your freelance work and wanted to watch a movie - did you find that your anxiety dropped a lot, or where you still thinking about those things? Anything that you can find that's not only enjoyable but especially a great way to lose track of time.

I saw the documentary on how the Chinese Government were responding to the coronavirus; it is extreme, but it's also very specific to their Government. I don't like to talk politics on here but I am 100% sure that us Aussies won't be dragged kicking and screaming out of our homes!

There was a couple of other things I thought of that might help -

Rather than watching the news on tv, would you be open to reading one source instead? For example, just looking at the ABC news or SBS news websites. It will still be daunting, but you'll be able to pick and choose what to look at and still have the sense of feeling updated. There is of course the option of not following the news which is perfectly understandable! You can also choose to look at (only) positive news websites - this is something I'll often do just to balance it out!

Also, see if you can remind yourself that people can get better with this virus. If you have to look at the deaths/infected numbers, look at the recovered ones too - as I'm typing this over 36,208 people have recovered. Unfortunately that one is a little known statistic but I think it's so important because it helps remind us that this is just another virus and our body is generally pretty good at dealing with viruses.

rt

p.s. unrelated, but would be open to hearing what movie you watched! I'm in need of recommendations 🙂

[macfan6]

Hi Harry.

Sorry that you are feeling worried and anxious. I hate how the media likes to exaggerate the news to tell a story. I have been scared by the news before. And the story turned out to be no big deal at all.

In China the virus is spreading like wildfire. But in Australia there are not many cases, and only one person has died. With everyone cleaning out the supermarkets, it doesn’t help. But honestly, when one person buys a trolley full of toilet paper. Everyone feels the need to. I understand that the first person-to-person virus contact was with some who had recently been to Iran. And Iran has a very high count of people infected. I read that 80% of people get a mild case of the flu. I did some maths on the number of cases worldwide. 3% is the number of deaths. A very small percentage.

If you mind wonders off in the direction of what if this or what if that etc, distract yourself, and remember, it is just in your mind, and not real.

My advise, is to stay away from reading or watching the news. The more you hear/read, the worse you will feel. Also, take ever day at a time. Looking ahead can be scary.

I hope this helps you.

[Harry_Lime]

Hi RT,

I’ll get the all-important question out of the way first; the movie I ended up watching last night was the latest episode of Dr Who! The go-to movies here are “The Third Man”, “The Shining”, and the all-time, multi-Oscar-award-winning “Weekend at Bernies”!

Back to the “other topic”, keeping the mind occupied is always helping, the news seems not to help though. I woke up this morning after having bad dreams about this whole thing and started the day in a bad way. But I ended up this afternoon being invited in by the neighbours whom I’d never properly met but by chance I was out the front here and coffee seemed nice. As a pharmacist he was able to be a great help and put things into perspective. Another thing that put things into a better perspective was seeing the fight break out in the local supermarket between two males (probably my age) over …….. toilet paper.

I’ll try and stay off the news again tonight cos I've picked up another freelance gig and see how we go.

Thanks again, RT, much appreciated.

[ErinB]

Hi Harry,

You're very welcome. I've read some of your other replies in the forum and saw that you've been avoiding watching the news. That's great to hear and I hope it's lessened your anxiety a bit. Definitely keep doing things to distract yourself and keep your mind off of it.

All the best,

ErinB

[Harry_Lime]

Thanks ErinB.

It can be a bit of a rollercoaster, I'm finding. Sometimes I'm not worried by it, other times I am. And sometimes more worried than other times. I'm guessing its the news that is doing it as they really push the death and sickness angle - and their graphics department is having a field day with CGI of viruses floating all over the news reports. Tonight, I did something I never did before and watched "The Project" - its almost like the news without actually telling the news. Even though I've got a bit of freelance on the go at the moment its always in the back of my mind. But being on this forum does help which is great and theres been some very helpful suggestions. Apologies if I haven't replied to everyone yet. 🙂

[Sophie_M]

Hi Harry Lime,

We understand how distressing it can feel to consume the large volumes of media regarding the coronavirus which may also bring about feelings of anxiety. A lot of members here have offered some great support and advice around ways to stay well and cope with the range of thoughts and emotions that you’ve been processing over the last few days (hello and thank you to all!) .
 
It can be hard to escape coverage about the coronavirus however you may find it useful to continue to try and limit the amount of media you expose yourself to. It is also important to use credible sources to keep informed – this can also assist you in feeling more in control of the situation. For links to credible sources regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as well as for additional  tips on managing your worry and mental health during this time, we’d encourage you to visit our newly developed resource page ‘Looking after your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak’:   https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-the-coronavirus-outb...
 
We hope you find this information useful and are glad to hear that the forums have been a helpful space for you to share your journey and receive some support from others. We hope to see you around!
 

[ErinB]

Hi Harry,

Yes, the news certainly likes to publish every bit of information regardless of whether or not there's any evidence to support it. That can be so dangerous for people like you, but thankfully you're avoiding it as much as possible. When you feel those urges to check the news, perhaps do some research using reliable sources so you're not putting yourself through false information and causing unnecessary concern. The Project is a good alternative and provides some comedic relief too. I'm glad some suggestions on the forum have been helpful and I hope they continue to. 🙂

[quirkywords]

Harry Lime,

Thanks for your honesty.

We have seen by shortage sin our supermarkets that people are panicking.

I have noticed when at railway stations the people are not using the railings. I have seen two older people fall because they didn't hold on to the railing.

hen there is so much misinformation it is hard to know the truth.

Thank you having this thread.

Quirky

[Harry_Lime]

No worries Quirky. I’ve only joined the beyond blue forum a week ago after going through a bad patch and this thread has been a great help and support to me. I check it each day just to see if others are experiencing similar emotions to me about the coronavirus.

[SapereAude]

Good morning all. It certainly is a difficult time presently worldwide but I think it is important to note that governments are attempting to limit the spread of a viral flulike disease which for most people is nothing but a week or so of sickness and recovery. Not something you want but at the same time, not threatening to most patients. The concern is more around limiting the exposure to people who may be more vulnerable (ie elderly or those with preexisting medical conditions).

It’s natural to be worried though, especially about the unknown. Make sure you reach out on these forums and to your loved ones. If you are distressed, call Beyond Blue or contact your mental health professional.

Also, try not to watch the news (hysteria sells) but if you can keep getting simple but official updates through a trusted source (ie family/friend without the hype then do so).

Keep calm and carry on! Together we will get through this!

take care