“There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.”-Epictetus
Epictetus had a point when he made the above statement over 1,000 years ago. With the current state of society, the truth of his words ring louder than ever.
The rise of COVID-19 and the effects it is having on all our lives is startling. Yes, it was unexpected, frightening, and continues to be a major point of anxiety and depression for many of us.
Our lives have been completely turned upside down by this virus. Maybe you’re lucky enough to be working from home or considered an essential worker. However, there are many people finding themselves out of employment right now and are seeking ways to gain control back over their lives.
This is where Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be an effective tool to use.
While CBT won’t give you control over the pandemic, it will help you recognize and disrupt negative thinking and build positive habits moving forward. CBT is a form of psychotherapy that has proven to be effective at treating a variety of mental conditions, including anxiety and depression.
How can CBT help you?
Here are some tips for using CBT to lower your anxiety during this crisis:
Identify Troubling Situations
It’s important to first identify areas in your life where stress occurs. Ask yourself, what situations do I react poorly in? In what areas of my life do I feel overwhelmed and anxious?
Bring Awareness to the Problem
Once you have recognized the problem the next step requires you to take the following into consideration; why do I believe this? Dig deep and look for the root cause of the feeling, identify any factors that guide your interpretation of events. Understand the motivators for your thinking and listen to your self-talk.
Pay Attention to Negative Thinking
Use your awareness to observe your thoughts, physical body, and emotions when you are confronted with this problem. Is your self-talk negative? Does your body tense up? Are you swept away in a tide of emotion?
Reframe Your Thinking
Once you’ve identified the reasons and worries reframe the thoughts with rationale and evidence. This is not easy to do, but you can do it, on your own or with the help of a Center therapist. This requires that you challenge your perception of the problem and learn to confront it in a positive way.
A few ways to enhance your use of CBT is through the following:
Exercise and Breathwork
By engaging in regular exercise, you can lower your anxiety and boost your serotonin levels. Also, through the utilization of breathwork you can learn to calm your body and mind, relieving stress throughout the day.
Participate in Social Events
Even with social distancing rules in place, there’s nothing stopping you from gathering with a group of friends on sites like Zoom or WhatsApp. Use these technologies to engage in social activities from the comfort of your home and to disrupt the isolating nature of the situation.
Mindfulness and Meditation
While both mindfulness and meditation might seem like the biggest buzz words of the last year. Science has shown that regularly engaging in these practices has significant benefits for your mental health. By practicing daily, whether it be breathwork, guided meditation, yoga, or sitting in silence, you will see major benefits, such as a reduction in stress, anxiety, and depression. If you don’t know where to begin, check out an easy 5 minute meditation on youtube or look into an app like Headspace (https://www.headspace.com/) or Calm (https://www.calm.com/).
References
https://www.psychologytoday.com