Possible Emotional Responses to COVID-19

Having an emotional reaction to the current situation is perfectly understandable and in fact quite normal. You may notice some of the following:

• increased anxiety
• feeling stressed
• becoming irritable more easily
• feeling insecure or unsettled
• fearing that normal aches and pains might be the virus
• having trouble sleeping, nightmares
• feeling helpless or a lack of control
• having irrational thoughts
• use/misuse of alcohol or drugs
• feeling numb and empty
• major changes in eating patterns

It is important to remember that most of us will experience similar underlying feelings at this time, although our emotional behaviour and coping mechanisms are likely to differ vastly. Some of us will:

• appear cool, calm and at times cold, or irritable, while others will appear anxious, fearful and at times emotional
• have an intense need for order, control and structure (a “logical” approach)
• have an intense need to process, discuss and feel (an “emotional” approach)

Flexibility helps build our resilience, and we benefit from allowing space for both logical and emotional approaches within ourselves and in others.