Well, first, it's important to know that this would be a perfectly natural response, given how often we're being instructed to watch out for signs or symptoms of COVID-19. And we all have this part of the brain that's geared towards keeping us safe. So it would be perfectly natural for that part of the brain to be watching out to make sure that we're actually not starting to show signs of the disease.
However, just having a sign of the symptom of the disease does not mean that you have COVID-19. So it's important to seek reliable and reputable information from resources like websites from the CDC or the World Health Organization. And if you have any concerns, you should contact your health care provider to make sure you do not need to go to the hospital.
Well, the first thing to know is that there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 at the moment, and we have this part of our brain that's programmed to deal with uncertainty by having us predict what could go wrong, so that we're adequately prepared in the event things do go wrong. Historically, this has kept us safe in times when there were real dangers in the world that threatened our survival.
The problem now is that there's so much uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, and it's reaching so far in our lives, that it can also impact our jobs and our health, as well as that of our loved ones. So we should recognize first that anxiety is a natural reaction, and it's our bodies way of preparing us just in case something bad goes on. We should also then realize that it's only going to be a problem if it's causing us intense distress or blocking our ability to get things done. In those cases, it's wise to seek help from a mental health professional.