COVID-19: Managing Anxiety and Fear

I hope everyone is doing well during this difficult time.

My family and I are doing OK.  We're keeping busy, which is good. My wife and I are able to work from home, which is a blessing. My two younger kids, both college students, are taking all of their classes online. They have plenty of work to do -- also a blessing. My oldest, who finished college a few months ago, has moved back in with us. He's been working a job that cannot be done at home. I'm glad they've given him and his colleagues the time to stay at home (with a little bit of pay), but he's the least busy of us. He is taking a course online, which is good, and he has created a Dungeons and Dragons campaign for the family, so as Dungeon Master, he has a lot of work to do.

(If you're not a D & D fan, and you don't care what it is, that's fine. If you're curious, you can find out the basics here. If you are a fan, know that I am a Dragonborn Rogue, and not a good one, since I rolled a natural 1 the first time I tried to use my Thieve's Tools and almost got us all killed by palace guards. Also, my best friend is a Gnome Barbarian, and a really bad influence.)

The point is, we're managing to stay home and stay safe.

Which isn't to say my mental and emotional health is completely good.

My wife and I have been trying to take a walk every day, which is good for us, physically. We live in a neighborhood of friendly and kind people who say hello as they are crossing the street so we can all keep a safe distance from one another.

On one of our walks, I told my wife that, in some ways, being a Follicular lymphoma patient has been pretty good preparation for all of this. I've always been very careful about staying away from sick people, washing my hands frequently, and generally trying to stay healthy.

I've also been preparing myself mentally for this. I have long followed a "3 Day Rule." All the cancer patients and survivors I know get that awful feeling when we find a new bump or unexplained pain. I've learned to give it 3 days. If I can't come up with an explanation for it, or it doesn't get better in 3 days, then I can call the doctor. It gives me a little time to stay calm. I rarely have to call the doctor.

But the last two weeks have been tough. I know the COVID-19 symptoms. I know what to look for. But it seems like every day, I've been feeling something. A headache. A slight cough. A scratchy throat. And I keep saying to myself, "Dammit. Here we go. It's starting." And then a half hour later, the headache is gone. Or I take a big drink of water, and the sore throat disappears.

It happens every day. I don't even have to wait 3 days -- the "symptoms" go pretty quickly. And I do have a reasonable explanation, as I look out the window and see trees budding and spring allergies kicking up.

But the stress is still awful. 

As you know, I try to pay attention to mental and emotional health. It's a really important part of our overall health as Follicular Lymphoma patients. It's a disease (as you know) where physical symptoms are sometimes easier to deal with than emotional symptoms.

So if you're feeling the kind of stress and anxiety that I'm feeling, maybe one of these resources will help. Some of the advice is repeated, but maybe that means it's good advice worth listening to.

 The Yale School of Medicine (with which I have a relationship) offers some general advice about Anxiety and COVID-19.

Blood-Cancer.com (a website that I write for) has some self-care tips.

The American Psychiatric Association's Center for Workplace Mental Health has a guide to maintaining well-being while working from home.

And finally, the National Alliance on Mental Illness has some coping strategies for dealing with COVID-19.


I think they are all useful, and if you are struggling with stress and anxiety, one or more of them may speak to you.

And if nothing else, know that there are plenty of us who are feeling the same way. I often take comfort in knowing that I'm not the only one who has certain feelings.

Most of all, if you're feeling isolated, reach out. Online communities aren't always great (I'm spending a lot less time on Twitter these days, because there's a lot there that upsets me), but online communities can be a great source of interaction and connection, too, if you find the right ones.

Feel free to reach out to me. Tell me how you're feeling. Share some coping strategies. And any D & D tips would be greatly appreciated.

Take care of yourselves.