Is The Coronavirus Causing You Or Your Child Anxiety??
Unless you are living under a rock without any access to technology (or other humans) then you must have heard of the novel Coronavirus (scientifically known as 2019nCoV).
Masks are flying off the shelf and politicians are arguing over how much of an impact this virus is going to have in our communities. I promise this is not another article about what you can do to protect yourself or your family, because I’m not an infectious disease expert.
What I am an expert in is FEAR & ANXIETY. Fear about our health or the health of our loved ones might be one of the worst fears there is. However, getting paralyzed by fear is rarely the solution to our problems.
When I teach parents how to raise Anxiety-Proof Kids, what I am ultimately teaching is how to raise resilient children (and be more resilient ourselves). The fear about the Coronavirus is no different than any other fear that we have. It is just an invitation to become even more resilient; in our minds, bodies & spirits.
Your children are likely picking up on the collective fears that are spreading via Facebook & the news so I wanted to share what has been helping my family cope during this CRAZY time. My hope is that it might help you feel more confident….and calm. These suggestions are based on the belief that your capacity to model resilience is the best way to help your child.1) Stop catastrophizing. Be a mindful problem solver instead. Be aware of the actions that you can take to protect yourself (hand washing, boosting your immune system, keeping surfaces clean, following CDC recommendations, etc), but accept that you can’t control everything and that the potential for illness always exists. The only way to avoid suffering is to accept it, and trust that you are strong enough to handle anything that happens.
Be aware of your “worry part”. Recognize that fears are going to show up. Acknowledge them. Ask is there is an immediate danger you have to address and if NOT then just be with the feeling and keep moving forward. You might also want to talk back to the fear by saying something like, “I am doing everything I can to keep myself and my family safe and I trust that I can handle this.”
Remember that this is temporary. This “crisis” will not last forever and it will not be the last time collective fear spreads throughout our communities. Hiding is not an option for most of us, so the answer is to keep showing up. I would also suggest trying this EFT video that addresses the fear of the unknown, which ultimately is what this is.
(Bonus Tip) Take some time to volunteer (sending supplies or goods) or give money to the populations that are most at risk. Make sure to only make donations to organizations that have a proven track record like, Disaster Philanthropy . When we shift our attention from ourselves to others it naturally reduces our suffering.
Fear and anxiety are not going anywhere, our brains are hardwired to expect the worst, BUT this does not mean we are hopeless or victims of our circumstances. If your child brings up things they are hearing at school or asks whether they are going to get sick or die, let them know that it’s just their “worry part” showing up trying to convince them they are not safe.
Remind them about the actions you are taking to stay healthy and talk about how many people get sick each day and recover. Please don’t tell them not to be scared. Honor their fears and share how your “worry part” pops up too but that you are choosing to stay in the moment and take actions to stay well, while you live your life. Please do share your confidence in their ability to handle their fear or the experience if someone does get sick. Remind them of all the helpers, scientists and doctors who are working around the clock to help others. The message you want to convey is one of realism, combined with hope and optimism.
In every moment we have a choice; Fear or Love. Please lets all choose LOVE during this time.
Xoxo
Jen
P.S. Feel free to comment or reach out if you have any other ways that you like to handle fear or anxiety during challenging times. I am also available to chat if you are seeing more signs of anxiety that you are concerned about. You can book a FREE chat HERE.
About Jennifer Bronsnick, MSW, LCSW
Jennifer Bronsnick is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker & Anxiety Treatment Specialist. She supports women and teen girls who struggle with anxiety, self-doubt & perfectionism tap into their innate resilience, get to the root of their fears and implement custom healing strategies so that they can experience peace of mind, more self-confidence and be liberated from the suffering that living with anxiety causes. Jennifer uses a variety of treatment modalities including Human Design, Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis + Health Coaching, Energy Psychology tools, Heartmath and more! She believe that everyone's experience of anxiety is unique and the solution should be customized to the client’s needs and desires.