-Anxiety in This Season of COVID-19: A Nashville Therapist’s Perspective

Last Updated on May 4, 2023 by Chris Roberts

By: Chris Roberts, MACP, LPC-MHSP (Licensed Professional Counselor) Two Trees Counseling Nashville

HOW DO WE KNOW IF IT IS ANXIETY DURING THIS UNPRECEDENTED TIME?

One of the primary and most difficult aspects of anxiety is being able to determine that what we are thinking about is, in fact, anxiety and not our normal headspace.  When we are in our normal headspace, we are much better at letting worrisome thoughts slide through our mind, and we move on to the next topic or thought.  But, when we are in an anxiety headspace, we react to and focus on the worrisome thought as if it were an immediate danger we need to resolve as quickly as possible.

HOW DOES COVID-19 AFFECT ANXIETY?

Typically, if someone comes into my office and wants to focus on the end of the world, or possible economic collapse, or their own possible, sudden homelessness, it is pretty easy for me to spot, as an outside observer, they are in an anxiety headspace. And I can help teach them to identify that this way of thinking falls into the realm of anxiety.  What is different now?  What makes things even more complicated now is there is a realistic scenario where the economy could take a massive downward swing, or a person could suddenly find themselves without a job.  So, it’s not as simple to identify an anxiety headspace, even to an outside observer.

HOW CAN NASHVILLE COUNSELING HELP?

Given the current global circumstances, it is now reasonable for a person to spend some time creating backup plans in case the food supply chain slows down, or temporary unemployment occurs, or we find ourselves feeling ill.  The key here is spending “some time.”  This means limiting how often we let our mind wonder to the worst case scenarios.  It means we set aside very specific and limited amount of time we spend creating realistic plans for dealing with such situations if they should occur.  I recommend no more than 30 minutes twice a week. If you find yourself dwelling on these dire circumstances more often than this, you may have moved into the anxiety headspace of thinking about this situation.

BUT ISN’T THIS SITUATION SERIOUS?

The situation we find ourselves in currently is very serious and needs to be heeded with extreme intentionality.  And the absolute best thing we can do during this time is to shelter in place, which in many respects means “do nothing!”  Don’t go to work, don’t physically visit with friends, don’t spend time is public places close to other people.  In many ways, this is the exact opposite of what anxiety screams at us. Anxiety says, “Do Something! Now!  Anything!  We have to make this go away.”  And yet, during this specific global situation, doing nothing is the best thing we can do!

ARE NASHVILLE THERAPIST’S OPEN DURING THIS TIME?

Yes!   Almost all therapist’s in Nashville are open and working. We have almost all moved to phone or video sessions for the safety of you, ourselves, and the community, but we are meeting with clients as usual.  If you would like to speak to a therapist in Nashville, TN, you can reach out to Chris Roberts here at Two Trees Counseling Nashville to schedule an appointment with him, or ask him to provide you a list of referrals for other therapists. Please stay safe and sequestered during this time.  WE are all going to make it through this together.