Battling COVID-19 With Anxiety

On April 26, the Government of Nepal announced the second lockdown of Kathmandu as a public health measure to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

As the second wave of COVID-19 progressed in Nepal, the government announced a second nationwide lockdown. Nepal, in any aspect, isn’t ready for the damage the second wave will bring to its people and economy. 

While the nation prepared for the second lockdown, the healthcare system was nowhere near ready for the second wave. Declining economic status worried the population, and daily wage workers were rushing back home. 

Amid the chaos and worry, my mom’s colleague tested positive for the virus. As a precaution, my mom began maintaining distance from my family members and cooked while wearing a mask. Just a few days later, my mom started showing symptoms of sinus infection. We thought little of it, as she didn’t have a fever. She wasn’t weak, and she goes through sinus every year during season change. Days later, thinking it would be better, my mom and dad took the test together. She tested positive with a cycle threshold value of 17. My mom immediately went into isolation and we sanitized the entire house. She consulted her cardiologist and a physician regarding medicines and any other steps that needed to be taken. 
Here are a few steps you can take if you or one of your family members test positive:

• Isolate yourself/them immediately 
• Sanitize the home 
• Check your/their oxygen level (take them to hospital if the oxygen level is lower than 90)
• Consult a physician (As mentioned before, we consulted my mom’s cardiologist and general physician since she is a heart patient)
• Provide yourself/them with nutritious food 
• Divide responsibilities among the remaining members accordingly 

Isolation is hard to deal with. It can make you feel both lonely and restless. We tried to help  my mom through it as much as we could. We video called her during meal times, played games and cooked. We texted each other, sent jokes and memes every day. 

It is completely valid to feel lonesome, even if you’re not the one in isolation. Despite being together virtually, I still felt numb without my mom’s presence. I had feelings of loneliness, where I felt as though I had no one to lean on. I couldn’t even leave my house. My anxiety and thoughts were suffocating me, resulting in multiple breakdowns and derealization. It got to a point where it constantly irritated me when my mom would ask for something. My headaches were out of control, and everything was falling out of place. 
I remember having a breakdown in front of my mom after my online classes. She couldn’t hug or comfort me. She cried about how she felt helpless for not being able to help me through my worst. My mom always supported me through my breakdowns and rough days. She would hug or cuddle me while trying to distract me, mostly by talking about BTS. 
Despite it all, this time will pass by. I engaged myself with work, music, and my favourite shows. I started journaling, which helped me with keeping track of my mood, thoughts and letting out my emotions. Journaling helped me regularly check-in with myself and spill out whatever I have been bottling in me. I communicated with my psychologist on an almost daily basis and remained self-aware. I took a break from TWE and social media and spent time with myself. TWE members supported me throughout this period and I am very thankful to them! 
Here are a few strategies you can do while battling COVID-19 with anxiety: 

• Don’t keep your emotions bottled up. It is good to let things out. Journaling or venting helps!

• Regularly check-in with yourself/be self-aware. Know what triggers your anxiety, know what your mood and your thoughts are. Work on what you have learned. 

• Consult professional help. Consult professional help when things escalate. They will give you advice best suited for yourself. 

• Self-care! It is important to look after yourself. Take a warm bath. Lit up candles. Stretch. Play with your pet. 

• Put away anything that triggers your anxiety. I created a list of things that triggered my anxiety and stayed away from them, I still do. 

While you may feel alone, as though everything is falling out of place and you are the only person going through this, you aren’t. Through it all, I have learned that talking about your problems isn’t selfish and you aren’t putting another reason for stress on their shoulders. Remember: Waking up every day and battling these hard times is enough and you will get through this phase. 
I am proud of you!

- Zephyr.

Resources 
https://www.google.co.nz/amp/s/www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/health/covid-19-test-report-how-to-read-ct-value-and-why-is-it-important/2241585/lite/  (understand Ct value)
https://www.healthline.com/coronavirus (more on COVID-19)
https://www.7cups.com/ (free therapy and listeners)

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