For more on this topic, see 5 Tips for Treating COVID-Related Anxiety.
- Vol 37, Issue 12
- Volume 37
- Issue 12
Lessons Learned From Treating COVID-Related Anxiety
Strategies for educating patients on COVID-19 transmission and epidemiology, as well as dispelling myths
ANXIETY & STRESS DISORDERS
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), 2020 was a very challenging year. Concerns about contracting the infection, loss of income/employment, disruption of routines, physical
Assess your patient’s response to the
Advise patients who are highly anxious to limit screen time and news/media.The media is inundated with information that can increase a patient’s anxiety. Patients should spend the extra time on self-care activities, like taking breaks from work; engaging in physical exercises,
Educate patients about normal responses to stress and trauma. Normal responses can include anxiety, apprehension, disbelief, anger, insomnia, concentration problems, fatigue, and irritability. Increases in pain and other physical symptoms are also common. These stress reactions are usually transient and will likely resolve once patients adapt to the pandemic-related changes. If a patient reports stress response symptoms that do not resolve after a few weeks, or that are severe enough to cause significant distress or interfere with daily functioning, then they should be assessed for the development of adjustment disorder with anxiety, acute stress reaction, or new onset generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
Assess treatments and adjust accordingly. Patients with underlying anxiety disorders, especially GAD, may experience exacerbation of their anxiety. If their symptoms were previously controlled by medication, consider an adjustment.
Cautiously consider the addition of anti-anxiety medications. Patients may present and ask for medications, like
Dr Choy is past president of the Orange County Psychiatric Society and a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. ❒
Articles in this issue
almost 5 years ago
Diverse Patients, Common Groundalmost 5 years ago
Schizophrenia and AUDalmost 5 years ago
Schizophrenia in the Newsalmost 5 years ago
The Intertwining Effect of Mood Disorders and Infertilityalmost 5 years ago
An Optimistic Prognosis for 2021almost 5 years ago
Of Personas and Perfection—and Physician Suicidealmost 5 years ago
A Dickens of a Yearalmost 5 years ago
Kindness, Anonymous Heroes, and CompassionNewsletter
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