74 percent of people in the UK have felt stressed, anxious, or worried because of the pandemic. Stress can cause issues in multiple biological systems and in the long term can damage health.
Stress, even after it has passed, can continue to influence how we behave
Preservative cognitive hypothesis
- Worry can amplify reactions to stressful situations and have reactive responses even if stress has passed
- Can lead to poorer sleep, unhealthy eating, and substance abuse
Psychological interventions for combatting worry and rumination
Action-planning
- Stress management
- Mindfulness and relaxation
- Psychological detachment
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Expressive writing
- Pain management
It is possible to learn a more constructive form of worrying
Action-planning was the most effective form of intervention found
- Action-planning:
- Make a plan
- Plan a worry budget
- Create specific and predefined plans to how and why you will worry
- Acceptance and control
- Make a list of worries
- Accept your worries
- Halt your unhealthy habits of mind
- Find time to off-switch
- Detach yourself from the situation causing stress
- Use your senses to become aware of what is making you worried
- Get active to release stress
- In small doses, worry can be a positive thing in your life
