Managing your anxiety during Coronavirus

Whether you are a first year Undergraduate student or finishing off your PHD, this could be a very stressful time for you. Assessments and exams while self isolating and social distancing is new for all of us. Here are some ways for you to manage your anxiety and fears during Coronavirus.

Identify your triggers

The first thing to do to manage your anxiety is to identify what triggers them. Sometimes they can be obvious, like caffeine, drinking alcohol, or smoking. Other times they can be less obvious, so try and keep a diary of what it is that makes you anxious.

Work out

Sometimes, the best way to stop anxious thoughts is to walk away from the situation. However, taking some time to focus on your body and not your mind may help relieve your anxiety. So we highly recommend doing 15 minutes of yoga each day to keep you nice and relaxed.

Kent Sport have launched their #KentSportStayWellAtHome initiative so you can stay connected and active while at home.

Breathing

Controlled breathing can gives you feelings of calm and relaxation and most breathing techniques can be used just about anywhere. Try deep breathing in for four counts and breathing out for four counts for five minutes total. By doing this, you’ll slow your heart rate which should help calm you down

Meditation

Starting in early April, Student Support and Wellbeing and the Student Learning Advisory Centre are running free online meditation sessions each week via zoom. The sessions are 40 minutes long and there is a focus on dealing with anxiety and strategies for remaining focused.

Write down your thoughts

Writing down what is making you anxious is a great way to ease your anxiety. It gets it out of your head and can make it less daunting. You can either use a notepad, or journal or an app.

Limit the news

You can’t switch on the TV or radio without hearing the latest about Coronavirus. The best thing to do is realise your limits and reduce yourself to an hour of news a day.

Listen to a podcast

What did we ever do without podcasts? There is one that serves every need and purpose; so whether you are interested in popular culture, sport, music, interviews with personalities, you will find a podcast that is perfect for you.

Schedule face time with family and close friends

Sometimes chatting in a group chat on WhatsApp is simply not enough, so why not schedule some time in with your close friends and family to have a catch up.

You can get in contact with Student Support & Wellbeing if you need to speak to someone about your anxiety. Email Student Support and Wellbeing at wellbeing@kent.ac.uk to arrange phone or online support.

Where to go for support

Kent Union De-Stress

Kent Union have created the De-Stress website, which is an online hub full of advice, support and activities to help you during this period.

Big White Wall

Wherever you are located, you can access free, 24/7 online support for issues around mental health and wellbeing. The Big White Wall (BWW) is a Care Quality Commission registered service recognised nationally through awards by the NHS and is a safe environment overseen by qualified therapists called Wall Guides.

In order to gain access to this service click on the BWW link using your Kent email address to gain access only. As part of the registration process, do not use your KENT account password for this service. Note, you may, upon completion of the registration process change your contact email address to a non-Kent email account. Big White Wall take privacy very seriously, so please read their privacy policy for more information.

Access Big White Wall

Please use the following code: KENT1

Student Support and Wellbeing

If you use Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, follow @UniKentSSW for advice and information to help you keep calm and safe, and connected to others in the Kent community. #KentTogetherAtHome

We have also collaborated on a video about how to manage your anxiety.