{"id":13338,"date":"2020-05-04T11:53:42","date_gmt":"2020-05-04T15:53:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hancockregionalhospital.org\/?p=13338"},"modified":"2020-05-04T11:53:42","modified_gmt":"2020-05-04T15:53:42","slug":"busting-covid-19-fear-going-out-without-much-anxiety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hancockhealth.apgar.digital\/fr\/2020\/05\/busting-covid-19-fear-going-out-without-much-anxiety\/","title":{"rendered":"Busting COVID-19 Fear: Going Out Without (Much) Anxiety"},"content":{"rendered":"
A couple of months ago, you were probably having a hard time imagining how you were going to get used to staying home 24\/7. But you and your family a fait<\/em> get used to it\u2014just in time to prepare to go back out into the world again.<\/p>\n

And it isn\u2019t even the same world you left a few weeks ago. Now, as you\u2019re being told to enter a \u201cnew normal,\u201d when you can move around more freely\u2014to the doctor, office, grocery, restaurants, maybe the garden store\u2014you\u2019re rethinking, well, everything. The questions seem endless. Should you wear a mask? Gloves? Visit friends? How do you engage more freely with the rest of society and still maintain a safe social distance? Will you remember to wash your hands? And when you do venture out, will you or someone you love contract COVID-19? It can be overwhelming.<\/p>\n

Anxiety and fear are emotions most of us are experiencing as we navigate our lives with the shadow of coronavirus all around us, said Dr. Melinda A. Cobb of Hancock Counseling and Psychiatric Services.<\/p>\n

\u201cOften, people are very anxious, particularly if they have to leave,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019re on guard, fearful, and being watchful of other people around them. But I also think all of us are pretty sick of being stuck at home, and I definitely think going out will bring some positives, including being back in touch more directly with people. We\u2019ll at least be able to see friends and co-workers.\u201d<\/p>\n

But as we go out into the world, even on a limited basis, it\u2019s a good idea to take care of our mental health while we\u2019re thinking about our physical health.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaintaining good mental health through this is a question of control and choice,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen we have control over the decisions we make, we are more comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n

With that in mind, here are a few tips for leaving the fear behind:<\/p>\n