CORNWALL, Ontario – In an interview with Seaway News, Angele D’Alessio a Mental Health Promoter with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) talked about coping with anxiety during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“People are experiencing higher levels of anxiety than usual right now,” D’Alessio said. “Anxiety is a normal response to danger and threats. It is normal for people to feel more anxious than usual right now.”
D’Alessio offered a couple of strategies to help cope with the anxiety.
“Challenge your thoughts,” she said. “Recognize that while this is serious, a lot of people do recover. Try to focus on the positive.”
She gave the example of how cases in China are falling, and how researchers are hard at work on a vaccine as two examples of positive aspects of the current situation.
D’Alessio explained that other ways to help cope with anxiety include focusing on helping others, taking care of your own physical and mental well being, and maintaining a regular routine and sleep schedule, as well as engaging in exercise.
There is a range of support services offered for adults and children during the pandemic.
And the City of Cornwall has set up it’s own helpline for those with local concerns regarding COVID-19.
