Coping with stress & anxiety during COVID-19

How can I cope with stress and anxiety surrounding COVID-19 (coronavirus)? The outbreak of COVID-19 may be stressful. You can support yourself from stress in many ways. Walgreens Pharmacist Emily Shafer suggests ways to destress and care for yourself and your family during this time.

Hi, I’m Emily Shafer, clinical pharmacist with the Walgreens Office of Clinical Integrity. The outbreak of COVID-19 may be stressful for many people. Fear and anxiety can be overwhelming, and result in difficult mental hurdles and emotions. But taking care of yourself, your family, and your friends, can help you cope with stress, and finding healthy ways to cope will help make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger. You can support yourself from stress in many ways. Here are some tips from the CDC.

Take breaks from the news, including social media. Constant information about the pandemic can be overwhelming and upsetting. Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, exercise regularly, eat healthy, well-balanced meals, and get plenty of sleep. Make time to unwind with crafts, hobbies, or other activities you enjoy. Connect with others remotely over the phone, and talk with the people you trust about your concerns and feelings. Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations.

People who already have mental health conditions should continue with their treatment, and be aware of new or worsening symptoms. If the stress gets in the way of your daily activities for several days please call your healthcare provider. Our Walgreens Find Care service can help find providers in your area.

If you or someone you care about are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or you feel you want to hurt yourself or others, please call 911 or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Disaster/Distress help line.