As a 27 year old, who is considered high risk for COVID19, living with 60 something year old parents who are also high risk, the one thing that has started helping me manage my anxiety is safety planning, preparing myself & making sure I look after myself.
I have asthma, which is usually managed, but when it flares, it is horrifying. I’ve been educating myself more and more about how COVID19 risk factors are higher for people with asthma. It’s scary to look at the information, so I do it in pieces. I read some, take time to process
I’ve been disciplined with my preventative inhaler & I keep my rescue inhaler with me at all times, I keep the number of the nearest testing centre on my phone, I’ve made an action plan for which doctor to call first to confirm symptoms, tried to understand procedure for testing
I keep a check on my anxiety. Anxiety can also aggravate asthma, so I check in with myself constantly and practice my coping skills. My action plan also constitutes how much time I need to monitor symptoms, what’s severe and what is mild and what I would do in each case.
I’m also an only child to 60 something parents, both high risk too. We haven’t talked about what happens if one of us gets this, but we’ve ensured that our affairs are in order. It’s an eerily dark time, but something has felt oddly soothing about being prepared and being safe.
I’d highly recommend creating action plan. There’s something oddly calming about being able to focus on what we can control in highly uncertain times. I’m still scared about getting it, as we all are, but knowing that I know what to do in case I get it, has been helpful.
Lastly, I’m begging you to stay at home.
