Fighting stress during the COVID-19 epidemic

After its birth in China in the middle of December 2019, the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 spread worldwide, forcing people and families to face economic problems and changes in their routine, with a consequent alteration of their economic and life balance.

It is absolutely normal that people feel sad, stressed, confused, or frightened, because they are worried about their own and their loved ones’ health. Additionally, the change of the daily routine can cause unpleasant emotions.

In this complex historical moment, we are all committed to facing a change in social, work and personal relationships, and it is essential to leverage our personal resources by following, for example, the advices issued by the Ministry of Health:

Find a new balance. It is possible to build a new routine, full of stimuli and adapted to the different rhythms imposed by the situation, so as to discover a new daily life and live this period in the best way.

Rediscover your health. Take care of your mind and body by regularly practicing physical activities followed by a balanced diet. Maintain the rhythm of the sleep-wake cycle.

Share your emotions. Do not be afraid to share your worries and unpleasant emotions with your loved ones or with a professional (i.e. doctor, psychologist).

Select the right information. It is important to collect correct information, relying on official scientific sources (i.e. the World Health Organization (WHO), the government or the Ministry of Health websites).

Among all, the most fragile are children, who can respond to stress with different emotions such as insistence, anxiety, anger and agitation.

In these cases, it is necessary to support them, listen to them, give them more love, involve them in games and provide them with information about what could happen - for example, a sudden separation due to the infection from Covid-19 -.

If someone in the family gets sick, it is important to keep contact with your children in order to let him better accept the bad news and face it in the proper way.